KARACHI: 1,100 children reported missing in eight months
By S. Raza Hassan
KARACHI Oct 19: As many as 1104 children were reported missing during the last eight months, from January to August 2001, according to the statistics of the Edhi Foundation.
The reports of missing were lodged by the parents with the foundation.
During the same period, 516 children landed at the Edhi Children’s Home, out of which 73 were rejoined with their families.
The missing children, comprising 866 boys and 238 girls, were between the age of six and 14 years.
Similarly, 516 children lodged at the Edhi Children Home comprised 344 boys and 172 girls.
A spokesman for the Edhi Children’s Home told Dawn that the parents of the missing children from across the country often visited the Edhi Foundation, Karachi, as a last resort.
Unfortunately, if the lost child is not lodged with the Edhi Children’s Home the report is registered by the Edhi Foundation.
However, in sharp contrast, according to the official figures available with the police based on the FIRs lodged at different police stations in the city, only 28 children were reported lost during the period.
A centralized data base of the missing children does not exist with the police on the pattern of that of the Edhi Foundation as the police system is based on jurisdiction.
Police sources said that they initially made an entry into their roznamcha (diary) about the missing child and passed on the message to all the police stations.
They said if an anonymous caller contacted the parents of the missing child then the police register a kidnapping-for-ransom case.
Usually, children lost their parents either at some festivals, tombs (mazars), or during journey from one city to another, while some of them leave their homes at their own will.
Often children belonging to remote villages of interior of Sindh run away to see a city and in their bid to go missing.
The Edhi spokesman said that in most cases children were brought in by the police to the Edhi Centres.
Such children often do not remember their proper addresses which hampers their early repatriation to their families.
Radio help is sought to announce the names of the missing children, the spokesman said.
“Ye Bacha Kis Ka Hai” (whose child is this?) is a long- running radio programme, which broadcasts the interviews of the lost children.
The programme has continued for the last ten years resulting in the reunion of hundreds of children with their families.
However, the role of TV is regrettable in this connection, as it could play more vital role in locating the lost children or family of the recovered child, the spokesman maintained.
On the other hand due to the worsening economic condition and wide-spread unemployment in the country, there are people who drop their children at the Edhi Home.
During the same period of eight months 765 such children were lodged with the Edhi Home. However, parents of such unfortunate children most often take back their children after passage of few days.
Those children, whose parents are not located despite all efforts, remain at the centre where they are properly looked after.
After reaching an age when they could decide their future for themselves, the young men are allowed to opt for jobs outside the Foundation or remain within it and work as an volunteer, Edhi spokesman said.
