KARACHI: The whereabouts of over 230 children, who were either kidnapped or went missing since January 1, 2023, are still not known to the police, it emerged on Wednesday.

A meeting, chaired by Sindh Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, was held at the Central Police Office to review the progress of these cases.

The meeting was informed that a total of 2,066 cases of missing/kidnapped children — 1,443 in 2023 and 623 in the first nine months of the current year — were reported in the 21-month period and the police managed to recover 1,828 of them — 1,304 in 2023 and 524 in the current year.

The participants of the meeting were informed that from January 1 to Sept 30, a total 623 missing cases of children were reported to the police in Karachi. Out of them, 491 were boys while 132 were girls.

Officials say more than 2,000 children have gone missing over past two years, 1,828 of them have been recovered

It was pointed out that 85 missing children were up to five years of age, 191 were aged between six and 11 years, 223 were aged between 11-15 while 124 were aged between 16 and 18 years.

Out of the total missing children during the said period, 524 have been recovered while 99 are still missing.

The meeting participants were informed that in 2023, a total of 1,443 missing cases were reported to the police in Karachi from Jan 1 to Dec 31. Of them, 1,149 were boys while 294 were girls.

According to the data maintained by the police, some 202 missing children were aged up to five years, 345 were aged between six and 10 years, 687 were aged between 11 and 15 years while 207 were aged between 16 and 18 years.

Out of the total missing children in 2023, 1,304 were recovered while the whereabouts of 139 children were still unknown.

Meanwhile, an official statement issued after the meeting said that IGP Memon reviewed the performance of ‘women and children protection centres’, complaints about missing children and their recovery.

The Citizen-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) chief said that information about missing children was being reported to district police officers concerned through Zarra and Zainab Alert app. Subsequently, the CPLC remained in touch with the police for pursuing such cases.

The IG directed the police officers for immediate registration of cases about missing/kidnapping of children. He also asked the CPLC head to share data of missing children with the IG complaint cell.

He also asked the CPLC, police and NGOs to compile data about complaints pertaining to missing children and their recovery while efforts should be made for effective coordination with other provinces and the federal government.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2024