Can Indian intelligence agency RAW be behind child abductions in Punjab?
LAHORE, Punjab: Inspector General of Punjab Police Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera is trying to find linkage between child abductions in Punjab and involvement of Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) or possible connection with presence of Afghan intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS).
Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera first tried to play down cases of constant and rising incidents of child abduction but failed in media manipulation. IGP Sukhera claimed that in most cases the children left their families because of domestic violence or other personal reasons.
Child abduction in Pakistani province of Punjab has increased many folds and Supreme Court of Pakistan has taken notice of the kidnappings and ordered IG Punjab to submit details of all incidents. The Chief Justice Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali directed IGP Punjab to depute high-ranking police officer to provide data.
According to report, 681 child abduction cases have been registered since January this year and police claimed that 640 children had been recovered or came back to their homes.
Alarmingly, as many as 214 children were kidnapped just in 12 days.
According to another report, 6,793 children were abducted in different parts of Punjab since 2010 while 6,654 have been recovered till now but 139 children had gone missing for ever, leaving no trace for their recovery.
According to sources, some senior police officials suggested IGP to find or tailor linkages between child abductions and RAW or with NDS. However, creating such linkages is actually inviting involvement of many civil and military intelligence agencies into the issue and sending a message that law and order situation is not as good as it was claimed by the Punjab government.
Police sources claim that the IG Police did not buy this idea instantly but work is still underway to “find linkages” between RAW and child abductions in Punjab, particularly in Lahore.
