ISLAMABAD, Sept 4: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Balochistan police chief to ensure the recovery of 42 children abducted from Quetta over the past three months and submit a report on Sept 15 after the court formally opens its new judicial year.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar was hearing a suo motu notice on the kidnappings.

Different non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and representatives of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had held a protest demonstration in Quetta over the kidnapping and murder of nine-year-old Shugufta Paracha.

Later, a newspaper report appeared saying that 42 children had been kidnapped from the city over the past three months.

At the last hearing, the chief justice had directed the Inspector-General of Balochistan to submit a detailed report about the children’s abductions from Quetta.

On Monday, Assistant Advocate-General of Balochistan Malik Sultan Mehmood submitted an interim report and sought more time and said that in the light of the law and order situation in Balochistan, it was not possible for the provincial police to compile and submit a detailed report. M. Bilal appeared in the court on behalf of the provincial police.

Signed by SSP, Crimes Branch, Quetta, the interim report on the murder of Shugufta Paracha contended that the Crimes Branch of the provincial police had recovered the girl’s body on May 28 from the Railway Inspectors’ Colony in Quetta.

A seven-member committee, led by DSP Agha Babar Gul, had interrogated seven suspects and during investigations, one of the suspect Ghulam Murtaza alias Goga had confessed to kidnapping, assaulting and later stabbing Shugufta Paracha to death. The killer was a former employee of the girl’s uncle, Aamir Paracha, owner of the Pakistan Cables.