By Our Correspondent
LAHORE– In a shining example of swift coordination and technological prowess, the Virtual Centre for Child Safety — an initiative of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority — has successfully recovered 11-year-old Ayat, who was abducted from the Kahna area of Lahore and later found in Karachi.
Ayat had gone missing while playing outside her home. Her worried parents quickly contacted the Emergency Helpline 15 to report her disappearance. The Safe City’s “Mera Pyara” team sprang into action without delay and launched a search operation.
During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that the abductor had taken Ayat on a train bound for Karachi. In a dramatic turn of events, the girl regained consciousness mid-journey and found herself alone — the abductor had mysteriously disappeared.
Demonstrating courage and quick thinking, young Ayat used a fellow passenger’s mobile phone to call for help. She reported her location as Rohri Railway Station. The Safe City team immediately reached out to the Railway Police, who took Ayat into protective custody at Rohri and later transferred her safely to Karachi Cantt Police Station.
In a joint effort, Punjab Safe Cities Authority, Lahore Police, and Sindh Police coordinated across provincial lines to ensure the child’s safe return. Ayat was soon brought back to Lahore and reunited with her relieved parents.
A spokesperson for the Safe Cities Authority highlighted that the “Mera Pyara” initiative has, to date, helped reunite more than 35,000 missing or abandoned persons — including children and elderly individuals — with their families.
The Authority has urged the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report any case of a missing or unidentified person by dialing Emergency Helpline 15.
This successful rescue once again proves the life-saving impact of smart policing, real-time response systems, and inter-agency cooperation.
