Karachi, already plagued by rampant street crime, now faces a deeply unsettling wave of child abductions that has raised alarm across the city. From January to November 2024, over 66,560 street crimes were reported, averaging nearly 199 incidents daily, according to Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) statistics.
Recent Kidnapping Cases
1. Mohammed Sarim
- Age: 7
- Date of Disappearance: January 7
- Location: North Karachi, Sector 5 (Bilal Colony Police jurisdiction)
- Details: Sarim disappeared after visiting a madrassa with his elder brother.
- Investigation Status:
- FIR registered under Section 364-A of the Pakistan Penal Code.
- Parents received ransom demands of Rs500,000 from a number traced to a Middle Eastern country.
- Police and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) now believe the number may be linked to a group in Punjab.
- No CCTV footage has been found to assist in the search.
2. Garden Area Incident (Aliyan and Ali Raza)
- Ages: 5 and 6
- Date of Disappearance: January 10
- Location: Garden neighborhood
- Details:
- The boys were playing outside when they went missing.
- FIRs were registered by the parents, who noticed the disappearance after a brief search.
- CCTV footage shows a man and woman riding a motorcycle with the children, heading toward Lyari.
Government and Police Action
- Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has demanded the immediate recovery of the children, enhanced patrolling, and a detailed investigation.
- IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon has formed a special unit for missing children, though Sarim’s case has yet to be transferred.
- SSP Central and SHO Garden are working on route mapping from CCTV footage and neighborhood investigations.
Public Concern and Police Challenges
Parents remain anguished, expressing frustration over slow progress and lack of immediate action in areas where such crimes were previously rare. The rise in abductions has exposed vulnerabilities in urban safety and gaps in law enforcement response, prompting calls for increased technological support, better surveillance, and more proactive patrolling to curb the menace.
Authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity as efforts intensify to bring the children home safely.
