SHC orders to form JIT to probe minor girls’ human trafficking
The Sindh High Court (SHC) has ordered both the federal and Sindh governments to form a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the human trafficking of minor girls.
The SHC also ordered the provincial authorities to investigate the matter through a JIT as the case of a minor girl who was sold three times after being abducted clearly indicates that such gangs operate with freedom in the province.
The bench issued these directions during the hearing of the bail plea of a man named Adnan Shabbir arrested for allegedly abducting a minor girl for forced marriage.
Adnan Shabbir took the stand that he did not marry the 14-year-old girl ‘M’ in a nikkah ceremony. In fact, he came from Oman to marry another girl named Sonia. Their knot was tied in the city court.
In its verdict, the SHC added that the formation of the JIT is necessary to investigate sexual abuse; therefore, it directed the interior ministry and home department to establish a probe team which will investigate the trafficking of young girls.
In her statement to the court, the victim girl told that she had seen about 15 teenage girls at the house of a woman, Rifaat, who was also named as one of the kidnappers in the case.
The court approved suspect Adnan’s bail for Rs100,000. On the next hearing, it sought reports from the JIT and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
The court also restrained the print and electronic media from publishing the name of the victim.
