Police on Thursday informed the Sindh High Court (SHC) that only four of over 20 missing children in the province have been recovered, as the court slammed the police's lax attitude towards the case.

As Inspector General of Police (IGP) A.D. Khawaja failed to appear before the court or submit a report regarding the case, the SHC summoned the provincial police chief by 11am ─ who instead sent Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Central Muqaddas Haider to represent him before the SHC.

SSP Haider submitted the IGP's response to the court, saying that of the more than 20 missing children in Sindh, four had been recovered, whereas cases had been registered from the recovery of seven more.

He assured the court that appropriate measures had been taken in this regard.

The additional advocate general, however, maintained that the slow progress in the case was because the IGP had not appointed a high-level officer as lead investigator.

"Children are missing from Sindh, and the IGP is not concerned," the court observed. "The children should be recovered. This is an alarming situation."

The court urged the IGP to file a report on the matter on an urgent basis and also directed the Sindh government to do everything in its power to ensure the children are recovered as soon as possible.