Speakers say Karachi’s missing children issue is almost same as in Punjab
The issue of missing children in Karachi is almost the same as is reported from Lahore and other parts of the Punjab. The police do not take the missing children issue seriously rather they treat it as ‘non-cognizable’ offence which shows police have no interest in tackling these cases.
This was stated by Roshni Helpline (RH) President Muhammad Ali while addressing a press conference a local hotel on Friday. He said that child rights violation cases were on the rise in Karachi. He said: “Missing children cases are also increasing day by day. There is no official data available about the cases of missing children in Pakistan.”
Ali said according to Roshni Helpline’s assessment, every year, hundreds of children mysteriously disappeared from Karachi.
Ali said they had briefed higher authorities several times about the issue, but no concrete action had yet been taken. He appealed to the new chief minister and the IG police to take strict and immediate action for early recovery of the missing children. He also demanded a crackdown against beggars’ mafia and ensure their registration as they were one of the elements involved in kidnapping and trafficking of children. He also asked the people to immediately inform Roshni Helpline on 1138 in case a child goes missing.
Speaking on the occasion, Ahmad Raza, Manager Programme Roshni Helpline, shared information that they had received 122 missing children cases during current year – 91 males and 31 females but only 69 have been recovered and 53 are still missing. The majority of children are below 11 years, he said.
Naveed Ahmed Advocate, head of legal aid committee of Roshni Helpline, showed serious concern over the issue of missing children. He briefed the media about a recent petition filed for recovery of missing children in the Sindh High Court in which he had raised the issue that police were reporting the cases of missing children as ‘non-cognizable offense’ and hence registered such incidents as a “kachi report”. He further said according to law it was very clear in the Pakistan Penal Code that immediate FIR should be lodged against missing children cases.
“The delay in reporting missing children cases results in difficulty in tracing them.” He said no system existed at police level for reporting and tracing missing children. Missing children families also spoke to media and said: “We do not need sympathy, but we need action for recovery of our children.”
