Around 104 cases of abduction of women have been registered in various police stations of the capital this year, compared to four cases of kidnapping of male citizens, the city police said.
The kidnapped women included girls and married women who were abducted for various reasons from various localities of the city, said a senior police official. Recovery of most women took three to four months, who said they had to endure shameful treatment on part of the kidnappers, he added.
Data gathered from 14 police stations of the city revealed that women were more vulnerable to being kidnapped in the capital, as compared to men. The increasing incidents of female kidnappings indicate that women are not safe, even in the capital, and can easily fall prey to kidnappers. Civil society organisations have questioned the increasing incidents of female abduction and have sought eradication of the menace.
The official said incidents of women kidnapping were increasing in the city because police did not take action against people involved in this crime.
He added that this was not the security agencies responsibility solely, and that parents should also remain vigilant.
He said registered FIRs pertaining to women’s matters were frequently labelled kidnapping cases, while the reality was much different. Most of these cases pertained to women who married against the will of their parents, thus incited their parent’s wrath and prompted them to lodge false FIRs to save their self respect.
The official said another reason for the rising rate of cases of female kidnapping was that parents chose partners for their daughters against their will. He said a lack of understanding between the parents and their daughters at such times led parties to approach the police.
The senior official advised parents against imposing their will on their daughters and consulting them when making such important decisions. Better communication between the parents and children could avoid such labelled cases, he added.
Abid Ali Yousafzai, an advocate, said due to a lack of understanding between parents and children, the number of court marriages and divorces was steadily rising. He added that parents needed to consult their children before making any decision related to their marriage.
A female activist desiring anonymity said the main reason for the increase in cases of female kidnapping was human trafficking in the country, not yet included in the human trafficking law. To control this menace, internal trafficking must be dealt in accordance with the law, she added.
