Pakistan: Sindh High Court condemns Karachi police over missing girls' case
May 21, 2022
Karachi [Pakistan], May 21 : The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday took notice of the disappearance of underage girls from Karachi. However, they expressed their disapproval that the police have not been taking any action for the recovery of the missing girls.
The SHC made the observation on the grounds of the case of Nimra Kazmi from Karachi's Model Colony who went missing the previous month and later was found to have married a Punjab man. The non-production of Nimra, despite a court order, has caused concerns for the SHC, reported The News International. The Karachi police have been instructed to produce the minor before the court by May 25.
The high court had directed the Karachi police to produce the girl before the court after Nimra's mother, Nargis sought for recovery of her daughter who was 14 years old. She also asked for the cancellation of Nimra's marriage under the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act since her marriage was unlawful.
According to Nargis, who filed a petition, the Karachi police had failed to file a charge sheet pertaining to the kidnapping case registered against her daughter, despite being aware that Nimra was in the custody of Najeeb Shahrukh from Taunsa Sharif, whom she married. The mother further expressed concerns that during her confinement at Shahrukh's house Nimra had claimed that she was afraid and seemed to be under pressure.
Taking into account the situation, the court further requested the Karachi police to set Nimra free from the illegal detention of her husband, reported The News International. An SHC division bench chaired by Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro had made inquiries to the Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) of Saudabad as to why the minor was not produced before the court.
The Karachi police officer further submitted that a police team had been sent to Punjab after they received information about Nirma's presence in Taunsa Sharif. After the Punjab government has given its permission, the police would also conduct a raid for Nimra's recovery. The SHC has ordered the Karachi police to produce the girl at the next hearing at the court.
Earlier, Nimra was last seen leaving her house on April 20 the previous month before she was reported missing. Nimra was traced in Dera Ghazi Khan where she was found to have married a man, Najeeb Shahrukh, according to the Nikah Nama and court documents.
In another case of abduction, Dua Zehra Kazmi, a minor who also went missing from Karachi's AlFalah Society and was traced in Lahore. According to the Nikahnama, Dua has married a man, Zaheer Ahmed, 21. Karachi police sources said the marriage document Dua appeared to be genuine but the police were trying to further verify it.
The SHC had passed a similar order for the recovery of Dua Zehra, reported The News International. The hearing of the cases in the district courts is to be held on May 30. The cases are being led by advocate Altaf Khoso, a member of the violence against woman committee of the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women (SCSW).
