LAHORE: The Punjab Police on Monday informed the Lahore High Court (LHC) that around 80pc of the recovered ‘missing’ girls since 2021 had contracted marriages of their choice and kidnapping charges against the alleged kidnappers were subsequently dropped.

According to a report submitted to the court, 3,258 women and girls were reported missing across Punjab as of April 22, 2026. Of them, 1,405 have been recovered, while 1,853 remain untraced.

Chief Justice Aalia Neelum expressed concern over the failure of police to recover such a large number of missing women and girls.

She was hearing a petition filed by Salma Bibi for the recovery of her allegedly abducted daughter in Kasur.

105,244 cases of missing women were registered, 103,351 resolved through recoveries

The petitioner alleged that her daughter, Muqadas, was kidnapped four years ago and the police had registered the FIR against unidentified suspects with no progress in arrest or recovery.

During the proceedings, DIG Investigation Shoaib Janbaz and other police officials appeared before the court and presented the report on behalf of the inspector general of police.

Chief Justice Neelum remarked that the non-recovery of such a large number of girls reflected poor performance of the Punjab Police. She observed that the situation would have been different, had timely and effective measures been taken.

An official quoted the data related to the FIRs registered from 2021 onwards, saying that a total of 105,244 cases of missing women and girls had been registered during the period, out of which 103,351 had been resolved through recoveries, while 1,847 cases remained pending.

Asked about the circumstances of recovered girls, the DIG investigation stated that around 80 per cent had contracted marriages of their own choice.

He said the kidnapping cases against the alleged abductors were subsequently cancelled. He stated that about 15 per cent had voluntarily returned to their families and recorded statements in favour of their parents.

The DIG sought two more months to recover the remaining missing girls but the chief justice rejected the request, observing that six years had already passed and no further leniency could be extended.

The chief justice directed the police authorities to submit a comprehensive progress report within 15 days and adjourned further hearing till June 18.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2026