A total of 597 children have been reported missing or kidnapped in Karachi during the first six months of this year, with 579 of them successfully recovered.
The highest number of cases was reported in June, with 126 children going missing. District east saw the most incidents, with 130 reported cases.
The monthly breakdown includes 108 cases in January, 85 in February, 80 in March, 103 in April, and 95 in May.
Most missing child cases were reported from areas such as Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Baldia Town, Orangi Town, Mahmoodabad, Numaish, Gadap, Maripur, and Gulistan-e-Jauhar.
Police launched investigations across all districts, resulting in the recovery of the majority of the children.
However, 18 children remain missing, with no significant leads on their whereabouts. SSP Korangi Tariq Nawaz stated that no organized gang is currently involved in child kidnappings in the city.
He added that in most cases, children either left home due to family disputes or, in the case of girls, chose to marry.
Authorities have urged parents to monitor their children’s use of electronic devices and social media to help prevent such incidents.
It is worth noting here that seven-year-old Sarim went missing on January 7, and his lifeless body was discovered in a water tank on January 18, 2025, from the same apartment where he resided.
However, despite the FIR being filed by the father of the deceased child, the police failed to arrest the culprit in six months.
During a press conference, the grieving parents criticized the police for their lack of progress in the investigation and announced that they would hold a protest.
