LHC CJ directs retrieval of missing women within 15 days across Punjab

Lahore High Court’s chief justice Aalia Neelum has issued critical directions for the recovery of missing women across Punjab, directing the police officials to find all missing women within 15 days.

The orders were passed at the hearing of a petition demanding the retrieval of a woman who was supposedly reported missing four years back. DIG Investigation Punjab Shoaib Khurram came before the court during the course of proceedings.

“The court has ordered that all police officers of Punjab be directed to take immediate and effective steps to trace and recover missing women.

According to a police report given before the court, a total of 3,252 incidents of missing women were registered in Punjab between 2021 and April 2026. 1,405 women recovered, 1,853 women missing.

“How long will it take to get the rest of the women who are still missing?” the chief justice said. In return, the DIG Investigation took two months to look into the instances. But the chief justice was unhappy, saying the police previously had years to handle the problem and that the situation was a failing of the department.

The court also enquired regarding wellbeing and safety of women previously recovered. The DIG told the court that all the ladies rescued were secure and some of them had married of their own choice and others had gone back to their families.

Police said that roughly 80 percent of the missing women who were ultimately traced had contracted marriages by choice.

Chief Justice Aalia Neelum expressed alarm about the significant number of women who remain unaccounted for and stated that nothing is known about the circumstances of those still missing, describing the problem as exceedingly serious.

The court also questioned whether an adequate system was in place to gather and manage data relating to missing women. The DIG said that pertinent information was being gathered by teams.

Chief Justice Aalia Neelum ordered the authorities to devise a proper and effective procedure to deal with such instances to guarantee that the investigations are performed in an efficient and systemic manner.

The hearing was conducted on a plea submitted by Salma Bibi who had addressed the Lahore High Court for recovery of her daughter Muqadas Bibi, who is still missing.