SHC orders police to trace 19 missing children by Jan 17

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday ordered the police to recover 19 missing children and submit its report by January 17, ARY News reported.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, was hearing a case regarding the missing children.

A recovered child was also produced in the court.

The bench expressed its concern over the disappearance of children and questioned performance of the law enforcement agencies. “Children are being reported missing but you people are resting in peace,” Justice K.K. Agha remarked.

The court expressed its displeasure over absence of the FIA officials and summoned the Director FIA in the next hearing.

The judges ordered that the FIA and Police should work jointly and take steps for recovery of the  children reported missing and also use modern technology to trace the children.

The bench directed the DIG Police to remain present at each hearing of the missing children case. The DIG informed the court that the Police Department holding meetings at the I.G. Police office for recovery of the missing children.

Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto retorted the DIG, “We have nothing to do with the meetings, we want recovery of the children.”

The court ordered the law enforcement agencies to trace 19 missing children and submit report in the court by January 17.

A petition was filed by the Roshni Research and Development Welfare in 2012 seeking court orders for the provincial police to consider the missing children’s cases, who went missing from different parts of Karachi, a cognizable offence, and register FIRs in that regard.

The petition claimed that cases of missing kids were not properly investigated by the police department.