Summary

Last year, 2906 abduction cases were reported in the national as well as vernacular press. Out of the total 2906 cases of children and women kidnapping, there were 1398 cases of women kidnapping, 981 cases of female child abduction and in 527 cases male child were reported kidnapped from different areas of the country.

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Additional information

Madadgaar is a joint venture of Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid
(LHRLA) and UNICEF. It is Pakistan's First child Help Line and Protection
Service for Children and Women. Madadgaar documents all the cases that
are published in newspapers or are otherwise acknowledged, to collect
information regarding human rights violation in the country, especially
against children and women. In order to maintain an updated database
the staff members of Madadgaar monitor twenty-six newspapers daily in
Urdu, English and Sindhi languages. With the help of this database
Madadgaar attempts to keep the public informed about the incidents of
abuse against women and children through media.

Madadgaar research report on Kidnapping informed that out of 2906
reported cases of child and women abduction 301 reported in January, 184
in February, 198 in March, 219 in April, 266 in May, 323 in June, 275 in July,
306 in August, 240 in September, 194 in October, 208 in November, 192
cases of abduction were reported during the last month December 2004.

According to the findings of Madadgaar research, in many reported cases
of kidnapping of children and women the perpetrator was known to the
victim he was either a blood relative, an acquaintance, a neighbour, a
family friend or a stranger. In some prominent cases it was noted that the
kidnaper was an Amil (a peer- faqir) or Spiritual Heeler who kidnapped the
child to heel away the effects of black magic. While in some cases the
kidnapper was a Moulvi, Jagirdar/Wadera, dacoit, husband, Shopkeeper,
pimp or trafficker.

 Mr. Muhammad Ali, Incharge Missing Children Desk Madadgaar, informed
that the trends have changed; hundreds of children are reported missing
while in reality they were kidnapped. He added that the recent cases
reported in news papers showed the trend that in most cases children
between the age group of 1 - 10 are kidnapped, later they were physically
or sexually assaulted in lieu of old enmity or for sexual gratification. He
further added that due to the easy access to pornographic material on
Internet young people are more inclined to risky sexual behaviors. They
use children as their objects for sexual gratification. The Missing Desk
Incharge further informed that the government has marked year 2004 as
the "Year for Protection of The Children". He added that no concrete
measures have been taken at National level though the provincial
government of Punjab has prepared some successful policy changes but
failed to lower down the overall ratio of missing and kidnapped children
due to the non-implementation. 

The research divulged that most of the cases of children and women
kidnapping were reported in Punjab 1721, in Sindh 982 cases, in NWFP
125 cases and in Balochistan 78 cases of abduction were reported.
Madadgaar research further informed that during the last year 444 cases
of kidnapping were reported in Karachi, 351 cases in Lahore, 153 cases in
Multan, 121 cases in Hyderabad, 90 cases in Gujranwala, 77 cases in
Rawalpindi, 72 cases in Sheikhupura, 66 cases in Sukkur, 46 cases from
Vehari, 53 cases in Peshawar, 57 cases in Ferozewala, 44 cases in
Bahawalpur, 31 cases in Quetta, 35 cases in Sialkot, 33 cases in Sahiwal,
38 cases in Sargodha, 27 cases in Faisalabad, 24 cases in Dharki and
Khanewal each, 21 cases in Dadu,47 cases from Khairpur, 26 cases in
Hafizabad and 58 cases of women and children kidnapping were reported
from Islamabad.

Madadgaar research also informed that 981 cases of female child
abduction were reported in the local press during last year. Out of these
54 abduction cases were reported in January, 34 in February 38 in March,
49 in April, 69 in May, 123 in June, 134 in July, 127 in August, 104 in
September, 82 in October, 86 in November and 81 cases were published in
December 2004. 

The research pointed out that during the same period 527 cases of male
child abduction were reported. Out of this total 69 cases were reported in
January, 40 in February, 32 in March, 26 in April, 56 in May, 67 in June, 26
in July, 49 in August, 38 in September, 47 in October, 38 in November and
39 cases of male child abduction were reported in December 2004.
Madadgaar believes that the child abduction cases are increasing at
disturbingly high rate in almost all parts of the country.

The recovery of kidnapped children and women remains a grave problem
as one can gauge the severity of the problem that out of 2906 cases of
abduction reported during the last year only 317 persons were recovered.
Out of 317 recovered persons 100 were male child, 119 were female child
and only 98 women were recovered from the clutches of their perpetrators.
Madadgaar believes that the sufferings of the kidnapped persons do not
end even after their recovery, as they were stigmatized and ill treated by
the family and society at large. 

Keeping in view the prevailing situation and findings of the research
Madadgaar, Pakistan's First Child Help line and Protection Service strongly
recommends the following:

* President, Prime Minister and Governors of each province should convene
national as well as provincial level meetings to discuss the child protection
issues.
* Government should develop mechanism for strict implementation of UN/
International/ Regional Protocols & Conventions ratified by the country.
* The Supreme Court of Pakistan under article 184(3) of the Constitution of
Pakistan should take up the issue of child protection and see government's
action in this regard.
* The Supreme Court of Pakistan also asked the government to submit
comprehensive report on the cases of missed, kidnapped and trafficked
children
* The National Commission for Child welfare and Development (NCCWD)
and Provincial Commission for Child Welfare (PCCWD) should take up the
cases of violence against children and give recommendations for the
prevention of violence against children
* Police department should establish monitoring cell at Provincial and Town
level for missing and kidnapped children
* Proper investigation should be carried out if the child remains missing
after 24 hours.
* Newspapers and Private TV Channels must print and telecast missing
children ads free of cost 
* Parents should take extra care and precautionary measures at public
places to avoid mishaps
* Specially trained and sensitized police officials should be assigned duty
at public places like parks, and zoo. [Source: CRIN]