Zubair Qureshi
The dead body of 14-year old Taha, who went missing from Islamabad’s Margalla Hills Trail 5 on Saturday, was found on Monday after a search operation that lasted for around 48 hours.
A 15-member rescue team including the forest guards of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and two professional climbers took part in the search operation and found the body of the young Taha lying in a ditch.
A resident of Rawalpindi’s Gulzar-e-Quaid, 14-year-old Taha, had gone to the Trail-5 of the Margalla Hills with his friends on Saturday, however he went missing and his friends had to return home without him.
According to the Secretariat police, where an FIR was registered about the ‘kidnapping’ of Taha on the request of his parents, Taha apparently lost his track and slipped and fell into the ditch. Meanwhile, Trail 5 of Margalla Hills was closed to the general public.
The Secretariat police also confirmed that the body they found earlier in the day was of missing Taha. According to the police spokesman, the rescue team was trying to recover the body with the help of the Rangers. The rescue operation was being aided by the Quick Response Team, Margalla Foot Patrol and drone cameras. The help of Safe City cameras was also being sought in the search.
Meanwhile, the law enforcement agencies have also undertaken investigation from other angles like it could be a plot to murder the young boy.
However, the cause of death could be determined only after post-mortem, the spokesperson added.
The FIR has been registered on the complaint of Taha’s mother.
According to the FIR, Taha’s friends with whom he had gone to the trail kept calling home and asking whether he had returned or not.
After receiving the complaint, the police reached Trail 5, and searched for the boy but could not find him. The police registered a case under the kidnapping section and started searching.
A resident of Taha’s residential locality, Muhammad Arshad said it had been 30 hours and the police could not trace the boy. He regretted the lack of progress and incompetence on the part of the police. He said it was a matter of concern that such an incident took place in a high security zone.
Had the rescue team taken prompt action the poor boy would not have lost his life, said Arshad.
It was also found out that the emergency number given by the IWMB was also found dysfunctional. Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has ordered patrolling by police on MargallaHills tracks for safety and security of hikers.
