The Sindh High Court on July 8 directed the Child Protection Authority and the SSPs of Khairpur and Jacobabad to ensure welfare, safety and rehabilitation of a nine-year-old girl who left the home of her parents along with her elder sister due to cruelty.
The direction came on a petition of Hayatullah, who moved the court against abduction of his two daughters on May 12, 2025 from the Clifton area. The petitioner submitted that his two children Najiba and Aleena went missing and he came to know that they were living with one person Qurban who kept the girls for sexual exploitation and trafficking.
The police produced the girls before the court and informed that one girl Najeeba had contracted marriage with Qurban while the other girl was residing with her sister. Najeeba also recorded her statement before the court, stating that her father used to subject the family to cruelty and forced her into immoral activities due to poverty.
She said that her parental grandmother was also assaulted by her father and her two elder sisters likewise left home and contracted marriages of their choice. She said that she married with her free will and did not want to return to her father.
An SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Adnan-Ul-Karim Memon, after hearing the arguments of the counsel, observed that the minor girl wanted to live with her sister; however, every child is entitled to protection against abuse, neglect and exploitation and violence under the Constitution.
A representative of the Child Protection Authority assured the court that the authority will provide safe shelter if the minor girl is willing to go to a shelter home. The court directed that the minor girl be provided medical care, counselling, education and all other facilities and no physical, psychological or emotional harm is caused to her from any quarter.
The court also directed the petitioner’s father and his elder daughter Najeeba and her spouse Qurban to furnish personal bonds of Rs1 million each before the Nazir of the court and undertake that they will not harass, threaten or cause mental or emotional harm to both girls.
The court observed that disputed questions relating to age, marital status and other allegations raised by the both sides shall be independently determined by the competent fora strictly in accordance with the law.
Published in The News, July 9th, 2026.
