Smartphone app launched for locating missing children

A smartphone application for locating missing children was launched on Friday on the occasion of World Children’s Day.

The application, which has been named ‘Bacha Finder’, is launched by the Roshni Helpline. Sindh Law and Environment Adviser Barrister Murtaza Wahab was the chief guest on the occasion, while the father of late Zainab, Haji Ameen Ansari, was also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Ali of the Roshani Helpline said most incidents of children going missing were reported from Landhi, Surjani, and Baldia Town. He, however, said Sindh’s situation related to the missing children was better as compared to the country’s other parts.

Barrister Wahab said the police culture had “improved a lot as police now promptly register cases of the missing children”. He paid tribute to Ameen Ansari, saying he had been making commendable efforts to safeguard children lives and honour the daughters of the country.

He said some 65 children had gone missing in the last two months but 55 of them had been recovered due to the police’s efforts. He, however, said they would only celebrate their success once all missing children were recovered.

He claimed that there had been an unusual delay of 11 hours in reporting to police the missing of a child, Marwah, in Karachi’s Essa Nagri. “Had the family of Marwah promptly alerted the police authorities, the minor girl could have been saved.”

He said the parents or guardians should promptly alert the 15 Police Helpline Service in case of their children going missing. Ameen Ansari said the video footage obtained from closed-circuit television cameras should also be treated as admissible evidence in the court for punishing the criminals behind the kidnapping of children.