SAHIWAL: A missing minor girl Pakpattan police had declared murdered returned home safely on Sunday after more than two years of disappearance.

According to reports, the family confirmed that Adan Fatima who is now six-and-a-half-year-old was dropped by two unidentified persons on a motorcycle near her native village of Dhadhi. Four when kidnapped, she now speaks Urdu very well.

The girl told the family she lived in a seminary run by a woman, Sabirain Bibi, and her son. She said she was not maltreated and lived there safely.

The story began on Dec 22, 2021, when Adan’s uncle, Muhammad Arshad, a daily wager, reported to the Malkain Hans police station that Adan had gone missing while playing in the street near her home.

Criminal negligence committed in police probe

The police registered a case 690/21 under Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) 363 against unknown persons. The same day police registered a case against a youth, Muzamil, who had left the village.

Police arrested several persons and investigated them from two to three days.

At that time Malkain Hans Station House Officer (SHO) Sohail Shahzad and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Maqsood Awan failed to recover the girl.

The family approached the Lahore High Court and after rejection of four appeals the court directed police to complete the investigation whether the girl was still alive.

Police arrested Muzamil, investigated him and informed the family that Muzamil had killed the girl and threw her body in the canal.

Police also said Muzamil had some problems with Adan’s mother and to settle the score he killed her, adding police had recovered a motorcycle used to throw the body of Adan into the canal. Then district police officer (DPO) had held a media talk claiming that the girl kidnapping case had been solved.

Muzamil succeeded to secure bail just after 15 days as police did not pursue the case. Family again approached local court and then District Police Officer Tariq Walayat changed the investigation officer and after hectic pressure from the DPO office Malikan Hans police filed a challan against Muzamil. Now police were bound to arrest culprit but suddenly Adan surfaced safe and sound.

The family of the girl talking to Dawn demanded the culprits must be arrested and brought to justice.

Present Malikan Hans Station House Officer Rai Khizer said investigation was under way that who dropped the girl back at home.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2024