ISLAMABAD: Police have registered a kidnapping case over the disappearance of a German national in the capital.The 18-year-old girl was living with her uncle at G-6/1-4 from where she disappeared on Sunday night, said the police.

On the complaint of her uncle the police registered a case under section 365-B (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman for marriage) of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against unidentified people.

According to the FIR, the complainant found his niece missing from the house when he returned after offering Taravih.

“She also took her belongings, including passports and other documents,” the complainant said, adding unidentified people had kidnapped her.

A police officer told Dawn that the girl had been living with her uncle’s family for the last three years. Her uncle claimed that she had been sent to Pakistan by her parents from Germany to get married with one of his (uncle’s) sons.

According to preliminary police investigation and statements of the family, the uncle’s son married the elder sister of the missing girl. As a result, the girl remained disturbed.

She was doing an online graphics designing course from home and was not allowed to do any outdoor activities alone. She was restricted to the house due to unknown reasons.

She always went out with the family of her uncle for shopping and other activities, the officer said, adding the girl was an avid mobile phone internet user and carried a smart phone with social media access but used no SIM in it.

She used to play online games on interactive platforms such as Imvu where there is a high probability of chatting with other internet users, he said. She also used a laptop for studying online.

The family handed over two notes to the police claiming that the girl had written them before leaving the house, the officer said. One of the notes stated: “Do not search for me, I am gone shopping, will be back soon.” The other said: “Do not search for me, I will be back at 10pm.”

However, the officer said efforts were being made to verify the notes.

Information about the use of her passport for travelling within the country or abroad is also being gathered, the officer said. So far, no such travel has been made on the passport.

The police said they also contacted officials at the German embassy in Islamabad who said the German national had not contacted them. They said if they received any information about her, it would be shared with the police.

The officer said Safe City and private cameras were being checked to find a clue to the missing girl.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2019