Islamabad : Eighteen-year-old Matin Shehzad, who has a mental impairment, has been missing since June 13. Despite 17 days passing, the authorities, including the police, have made minimal effort to find him. Matin’s elderly mother is distraught and desperate to be reunited with her son.
Matin's brother, Mubeen, shared the events leading to Matin's disappearance. "My sister and Matin were traveling on a metro bus from Saddar to Rehmanabad. When the bus stopped, my sister got off, but before Matin could follow her, the driver closed the doors and drove off. By the time my sister reached the next stop, Matin had vanished." Frustrated by the police's lack of action, Mubeen decided to search for Matin himself. Using his contacts, he obtained CCTV footage from the Safe City Project, which tracked Matin’s movements. The footage revealed that on June 13, Matin had unknowingly traveled from Rawalpindi to Islamabad. He was last seen at the Metro Secretariat Station, where he spoke to a motorbike rider (Bykia) and then headed towards Imam Bari with him.
Despite these leads, the search has been challenging. There were three instances where the police could have safely returned Matin to his family, but negligence and lack of training led to missed opportunities. Twice in Islamabad, when the police stopped the motorbike rider, Matin was with him but they failed to inquire about him. Another incident occurred in Rawalpindi Saddar, where a citizen handed Matin to a police officer, requesting him to take Matin to the police station or contact rescue services. The officer refused, claiming it wasn’t his responsibility, leaving Matin to fend for himself. This situation raises pressing questions about the value placed on human life and the role of institutions meant to protect it. The indifference and irresponsibility of the police are evident in their failure to act. The investigating officer even took leave for Eid celebrations with his children, neglecting his duty towards Matin’s case.
The Islamabad Police had established a Missing and Lost Persons Desk under the Safe City Project to handle such cases, but it appears to be ineffective. The desk seemingly exists only on paper, producing no tangible results. Matin Shehzad's case highlights the urgent need for more accountable and compassionate law enforcement to protect vulnerable individuals.
