ISLAMABAD, Aug 24: The Supreme Court on Friday gave a one- month deadline to the Gujranwala police to recover two sisters, who had been abducted from the Naushera Virkan village over two years ago.

 A six-member bench of the Supreme Court, consisting of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, Justice M Javed Buttar and Justice Nasirul Mulk, gave the order while hearing a suo motu case regarding the abduction of two sisters —Ms Humaira and Sumaira. Appearing on notice, the Gujranwala DIG, Chaudhry Tanveer Ahmed, told the bench that they had investigated one suspect, Col Subha Sindhu, but could not prove anything against him.

He claimed that the police were trying their best to locate the two sisters and track down the people involved in human smuggling. He said the police had received information that both the girls had been taken to the United Arab Emirates and then later to the United Kingdom.

 He requested the court to allow more time to the police for recovering the girls.  At this the chief justice said the police were not taking action against the influential people involved in the crime.

He said the police were not fulfilling their professional obligations despite getting more facilities. He directed the DIG to recover the girls within one month and produce them before the court. The additional advocate general of Punjab, Khadim Hussain Qaisar, also appeared on court notice.

Ms Humaira and Sumaira, daughters of Eish Muhammad Syed, went missing from outside their house over two years ago.

The Naushera Virkan police had registered a case against the suspects in 2005, but have failed to arrest anyone so far.—PPI