KARACHI, Dec 2: The Sindh chief minister’s coordinator for human rights, Nadia Gabol, on Monday handed over four girls, who had been missing, to their parents in a press conference at the directorate of human rights.

The girls — identified as 11-year-old Noor Begum, daughter of Noor Mohammad; 12-year-old Sana, daughter of Mohammad Saleem; 11-year-old Samina, daughter of Khushi Mohammad; and 20-year-old Rabia — were residents of Keamari Town, Zia Colony, Manghopir and Sohrab Goth.

Moving scenes were witnessed when parents met their children.

The human rights department of the Sindh government helped the children reunite with their families.

Speaking on the occasion, the father of Noor Begum said that he could not believe that his daughter had returned home.

“She went missing after her seminary teacher sent her to buy goods from a nearby market where she forgot the path to her house and was later sent to Edhi home by the police. It took almost a year.”

Ms Humera, mother of recovered girl Samina, said: “I am a street beggar and my daughter went missing in new Sabzi Mandi in Sohrab Goth. My husband has died and I earn money by begging in the streets of Saddar. Two years ago, a beggar, Ali, took away my daughter and after that I found her two days ago.”

Briefing the media on the occasion, Ms Gabol said that it was a delightful moment for her that the missing girls were able to meet their parents.

“I appreciate the human rights department for recovering girls.”

She said four girls aged between 11 and 20 years were handed over to their parents.

“We visited the Edhi home on November 25 on the occasion of International Day for Violence against Women and assured the missing girls of help in finding their loved ones. Our teams along with the girls visited several areas and after a week-long search, we were able to find their homes.”

She appreciated the efforts of Mr Edhi for providing shelter to the girls and said that without their help, it would not be possible to accomplish this mission.

She said it was also the responsibility of non-governmental organisations to take the government in confidence over missing girls so that they could be safely returned to their homes.

The spokeswoman for Edhi, Dr Farhana Javed, said that there were around 120 girls present in the shelter homes of Edhi.

“We are making all-out efforts to return them to their relatives. We are taking support from the media to highlight the faces of the girls so that their parents may see them,” she concluded.—PPI