SC Summons IGPs, Home Secretaries Over Missing Children Case

APP

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) has expressed serious dissatisfaction with the state of missing children across the country and directed all provinces to submit detailed reports on abduction cases, including figures on recoveries.

The court summoned Inspectors General of Police (IGPs) and Home Secretaries from all four provinces for the next hearing, scheduled for November 28.

A six-member Constitutional Bench of the SCP, headed by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan and comprising Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Musarrat Hilali, and Naeem Akhtar Afghan, heard the petition concerning missing children in Pakistan.

During the proceedings, the petitioner criticized the Committee for Missing Children, constituted by the SCP, for failing to take effective action.

Concerns Raised by the Bench

Justice Jamal Mandokhail expressed disappointment over the inefficiency of law enforcement agencies, highlighting the recent abduction of 10-year-old Muhammad Mussawir in Quetta. Despite ongoing protests in the city, no substantial progress has been made in recovering the child.

Justice Musarrat Hilali questioned the adequacy of the report submitted by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, emphasizing that open borders cannot be used as an excuse for failing to ensure law enforcement.

Justice Hasan Azhar drew attention to children seen begging at traffic signals, while Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan lamented the issue of Pakistani citizens traveling abroad for begging.

Long-Standing Petition Gains Momentum

The petition concerning missing children has been pending before the Supreme Court since 2018. However, some observers have termed the summoning of provincial IGPs and Home Secretaries during today’s proceedings as the first suo motu action taken by the Constitutional Bench in the case.

The next hearing is expected to address provincial accountability and enforcement mechanisms to curb child abductions and recover missing children.