LARKANA: DIG Nasir Aftab Pathan has recommended formation of a fresh joint investigation team (JIT) on the issue of a missing girl, Priya Kumari, who was a minor when she was allegedly kidnapped within the limits of the Sangrar police station of Sukkur district in August 2021.

Weeks-long protests had broken out in many cities and towns of Sindh soon after the incident. Nationalist groups, political parties and civil society organisations have been running a sustained campaign for her recovery as her whereabouts could not be known till date.

Following recent efforts by a minority community Senator, Dinesh Kumar, and several other lawmakers, the provincial government has asked the Sindh police to bring the matter to a logical end.

After several official meetings with stakeholders, DIG Pathan, who holds the charge of both Larkana and Sukkur, has now written to the Sindh IGP to constitute a JIT to help recover Priya Kumari.

It was reported on the day of her disappearance that the girl aged seven-nine was serving water to mourners at a sabeel on the 2021 Ashura day when her father lost her in the crowd of mourners.

In his letter, the DIG has stated that the Sukkur district police, as well as the JIT earlier formed by the home department to trace her out, tried their best to recover her but without any success. He requested that a fresh JIT comprising senior officers of police and other security agencies be formed at the earliest to accomplish the task.

The JIT may comprise SSPs of Sukkur, Larkana and Shikarpur and the DSP / SDPO of Sukkur City as its members, the DIG has proposed. The JIT is to be headed by DIG Pathan himself.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2026