A 14-year-old Christian girl has been reunited with her family after spending nearly two months missing, following an alleged abduction that left her parents devastated and highlighted the vulnerability of minority children in Pakistan.
According to her family, Saneha Sharif disappeared from outside her home on the morning of 9 January 2025. They allege that the teenager was lured away by a neighbour before being forced into a waiting vehicle. Within moments, she had vanished, triggering a desperate search by her family.
In the days that followed, Saneha’s parents searched for their daughter across the area, contacted relatives and friends, and repeatedly sought help from the police. The emotional toll on the family was severe. Saneha’s mother was admitted to hospital twice after suffering serious emotional distress during the search.
Unable to pursue the case alone, the family sought legal assistance from The EDGE Foundation, which immediately began supporting them.
With the Foundation’s assistance, First Information Report (FIR) No. 46/25 was registered under Section 365-B of the Pakistan Penal Code. The organisation’s legal team also closely monitored the police investigation and filed a Habeas Corpus Petition before the Lahore High Court, seeking the child’s immediate recovery.
The petition was heard by Honourable Justice Amjad Rafique, who directed the relevant authorities to make every effort to recover the missing teenager.
Following continued police efforts, Saneha was recovered on 19 February 2025 and placed in protective custody. During the legal proceedings, she appeared before several courts. However, according to those involved in the case, the psychological trauma she had experienced prevented her from fully explaining what had happened. She therefore remained in a government-run Dar-ul-Aman (women’s shelter) while the legal process continued.
Throughout this period, The EDGE Foundation continued to provide legal representation and emotional support to both Saneha and her family.
A breakthrough came on 6 March 2025 when Saneha appeared before a Judicial Magistrate in Sialkot, accompanied by legal counsel arranged by the Foundation. During the hearing, she was able to speak freely and clearly expressed her wish to return to her parents.
After completing the required legal formalities, the court accepted her statement and ordered that she be released into the custody of her family, bringing an end to nearly two months of uncertainty and anguish.
The reunion was described by the family as an emotional moment after weeks of fear, legal proceedings, and unanswered questions.
Saneha’s case demonstrates the importance of prompt legal intervention, judicial oversight, and sustained advocacy in protecting vulnerable children. It also serves as a reminder of the fears many minority families face when children go missing, particularly amid ongoing concerns raised by human rights organisations over cases involving the alleged abduction of underage girls in Pakistan.
While the legal process ultimately resulted in Saneha’s safe return, advocates say the case underscores the need for stronger child protection mechanisms, swift police investigations, and continued judicial safeguards to ensure that vulnerable children are protected and reunited with their families without unnecessary delay.