Lahore police intensify search for woman allegedly taken by 'Jinns'

LAHORE: Six years after the alleged abduction of Fauzia Bibi in Kahna, authorities are still struggling to locate her, in what her in-laws have bizarrely claimed was a case of abduction by jinns (demons).

The original case, registered in 2019 under Section 365 (kidnapping), was filed by Fauzia Bibi’s mother against her in-laws. Despite extensive searches over the years, police have been unable to trace her. A reward of PKR 500,000 has been announced for information leading to her recovery.

Police teams have conducted multiple operations in rural areas, including Katcha localities, posting nearly 180 missing person posters and contacting tribal leaders, jail officials, and other influential figures. Investigators also carried out polygraph tests on 15 individuals and analyzed data from 673 phone numbers, but the trail remains cold. A suspicious number traced to Swat’s Changla area and an anonymous tip from Okara did not lead to any breakthrough.

The case has been reopened and intensified with the formation of a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) on September 7, 2025. The team, led by DIG Investigations Lahore Zeeshan Raza, includes SSP Asim Kamboh (Punjab Investigation Branch), SP Muhammad Ayaz (Model Town Investigations), DSPs from Special Branch, Safe City, CCD, and Kahna Circle Lahore, and Inspector Zahid Saleem, in charge of investigations.

The Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, Justice Aalia Neelum, has ordered authorities to ensure the early recovery of Fauzia Bibi. The SIT is conducting investigations from multiple angles, considering all possibilities, including the unusual claims by her in-laws that supernatural forces were involved.

Police say the lack of an identity card or mobile phone for Fauzia Bibi has made tracing her extremely challenging. Meanwhile, the woman’s mother continues to pursue legal action against her in-laws, seeking answers in what remains a mysterious and high-profile case.