UMERKOT, Dec 4 Munni Begum squints her old and creased eyes to try to look in at the faces of all occupants of vehicles that pass near her house in Pithoro town and enquires almost all passers-by about his son who went missing in mysterious circumstances about five years ago.

She never appears tired from the daylong practice and continues to do what she can with utmost patience to keep her hopes alive that one day she will spot her beloved son among these passengers or passers-by.

Police constable Abrar Ahmed, 29, went to perform duty at Shadi Palli police station on Oct 4, 2004 like all other days but never returned, said her elderly mother with tearful eyes. She said that when he did not return even after 10 days, his second son Mehmood went to the police station to inquire about him. The then SHO Karim Dad Mangrio told him that Abrar had been sent to Sehwan Sharif for some official work and assured him that he would return soon, she said.

She said that police were never forthcoming in cooperating with them. Tired of their frequent visits, the SHO started insulting them but they succeeded in getting a non-cognizable report registered after hectic efforts, she said.

On Oct 19, 2007, police registered an FIR on a complaint lodged by Abrar's mother at Shadi Palli police station after passage of three years against unknown persons, she said.

But it changed nothing because police appeared least interested in her son's search, she said. “I would have consoled my heart and be calm if I had been told that my son was no more. But the loved ones who go missing become an incurable disease in your heart,” said Munni Begum. “We have searched for him day and night and in every nook and corner but failed to find any clue,” she said.

Finally, they sent applications to the president, Chief Justice of Pakistan, human rights organisations and offices of law enforcement agencies but they all appeared to have fallen on deaf ears, she said dejectedly.

Abrar's brother Shakeel said “We went to each and every city and town of the province searching for my brother and urging people to help us find him and distributed thousands of pamphlets but did not receive any response,” he said.

He said that Sindh police had announced Rs500,000 prize for the people who would give information about his brother's whereabouts.

Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Mr Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali took suo motu notice of the case on Nov, 6, 2008 and summoned concerned police officers to court on Nov 20, 2008 after converting her application into a constitutional petition.

The court heard the petition on Dec 2 and DIG Mirpurkhas Dr. Amir Shaikh, In-charge SP Investigation Umerkot Syed Amir Abbas Shah and investigation officer of Shadi Palli police station Arif Bhatti assured the judges that they would step up efforts to find out the missing constable.