LHC seeks report on 500 missing girls

The IGP confirmed that she was. The chief justice asked why such a large number of cases remained pending despite committees having been formed to deal with those involving women and children. "If committees had been formed, why is the situation still like this?

" the court asked. It observed that a girl who had been missing for two years had been recovered shortly after the high court took notice of the matter, asking how many other girls had remained missing for long periods.

The court also expressed concern over the police's attitude towards cases involving women, observing that there was a mindset within the department about what a girl involved in a case might be like. "This mindset needs to change," the court observed.

The chief justice remarked that more than 500 missing-girl cases was a very large number and asked officials to consider the suffering of parents whose daughters had disappeared. Speaking to the media, the IGP.said the police would review all cases involving women and children, including the quality of investigation, outcomes and follow-up.

He said around 3,200 such cases had been recorded up to January 2025, while 500 cases dating from January 1, 2021, remained pending. He said the police would determine whether missing women had been recovered and whether the cases had been properly concluded.

The IGP said recovery of missing women was essential and stressed the need for continuous capacity-building of investigating officers. Extortion inquiry.

The LHC dismissed a plea to stop an inquiry against officers of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) over allegations that a British citizen of Pakistani origin and his brother were forced to hand over cash, vehicles and documents during their detention, observing that such incidents could undermine public confidence in state institutions.

Justice Jawad Zafar dismissed the petition filed by Akmal Hussain who had requested the court to restrain the inquiry ordered by the Faisalabad Justice of Peace against FIA Director Saqib Sultan, Inspector Ajmal Hussain and other officials over alleged misuse of authority.

The court held after examining the record and hearing detailed arguments that the inquiry should proceed and observed that the order of the Justice of Peace was justified. The petitioner British citizen Salman Babar's counsel, Advocate Mian Dawood, was of Pakistani origin and ran a vehicles' business in the United Kingdom who had returned to Pakistan after 16 years.