Family slams ‘police inaction’ as university student remains missing

It has been two months since Muhammad Farrukh, a final-year student at the Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam, went missing. Police have failed to make any breakthrough in the case.

Farrukh’s family has expressed dissatisfaction with the police investigation, claiming that modern techniques have not been utilised to recover him. His father Gulzar Ahmed Rajput, a retired army officer from Tando Jam, held a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, along with community elders.

Rajput shared the ordeal of his son’s disappearance. “My son left the house after Iftar on March 19. Two hours later we received a ransom call on our landline demanding Rs2 million. They threatened to kill my son if we informed the police.”

He claimed that despite immediately registering a complaint with the Tando Jam police and cooperating with them completely, the police only filed an FIR but has not pursued the case actively.

“We are grateful that the Hyderabad SSP formed a special committee, but that too has failed to uncover even a minor lead. Sindh police are known for cracking high-profile cases, but in my son’s case they have not even used basic modern tools.” He criticised the police for not retrieving his son’s WhatsApp data and call records, which he believes could have opened up the case.

Breaking down in tears, he recalled a similar incident in which businessman Nasir Nizamani was abducted in Tando Jam, then his body was found because of “police negligence”. He appealed to the kidnappers for showing mercy. “I am a poor retired soldier. I can’t afford the ransom. I beg you in the name of God and His Prophet: please release my son.”

He also requested the chief justice of Pakistan, the chief of army staff, the chief minister, and the heads of intelligence and law enforcement agencies to take urgent notice of the case. The family also called on the Cyber Crime Wing and other relevant departments to retrieve the WhatsApp and mobile data of the missing youth, and to use geofencing and other modern techniques to trace his whereabouts.

Following the press conference, members of the Rajput community and Farrukh’s family held a protest outside the press club. Holding her son’s photograph, Farrukh’s mother broke down in tears and fainted multiple times during the demonstration. She kept pleading: “Please bring my son back to me.”

Protesters carried different placards inscribed with “Recover Farrukh!”, “Chief Minister, Interior Minister, IG — Take Action!”, “Where has Farrukh disappeared?”, “Has the earth eaten him or has the sky swallowed him?”, etc.