The date on which this tragic incident took place was 22nd June 2026. It was at that very day that a small girl by the Name of Muntaha Zahra left her house in karkhana Bazar, Sargodha .This girl was only 7 years of age and was enrolled in second grade at her school. She went to purchase some items from a nearby store.
She never came back home.
An Ordinary Day That Turned Into a Night Mare
Nothing out of the ordinary happened that day. Muntaha walked out of the door like any child would walk out carefree, unworried. The streets of Karkhana Bazar and the shop were familiar to her However, she never returned back.
The family kept waiting. The family started searching. Finally, they went to the police station and reported their concern. The police reviewed the CCTV footage of the surrounding area and found that Muntaha had indeed entered the Hanif Kirana Store. She was seen entering the store.But never leaving.
What the Police Unearthed
Police swooped down on the premises. Above the shop were worker accommodations and residential apartments. They discovered Muntaha hidden, dead.
She had been taken up there, sexually assaulted, and murdered. Her body disposed of, as though she was somebody who could be buried and left to oblivion. She was only seven years old.
The Suspect
Muhammad Arslan, who is the prime suspect, and who was working in the shop, ran away after murdering the man. However, Muhammad Arslan could not go far because he was discovered through the use of sophisticated surveillance technology by the police and was put behind bars. The shop keeper along with other three accomplices of the murderer was also apprehended.
They were brought to court. Under police interrogation, the culprit Muhammad Arslan confessed to the crime. All four of them were sent to the Crime Control Department on a six-day physical remand.
DPO of Sargodha has declared in clear terms exemplary punishment will be awarded to the guilty.
The Farewell
It was a well-attended funeral for Muntaha neighbors, strangers, citizens who did not know her but felt it necessary to attend. As certain losses transcend the boundaries of family. As a city I had to mourn, although it was already too late.
She was buried at the central graveyard of Sargodha. A second grader. Buried before completing the academic year.
Not An Uncommon Tale
The case of Muntaha is not unique to Pakistan. Unfortunately, it won’t be the last one to occur in the country unless there are fundamental changes made. Children have been kidnapped before from the markets, the streets, and their neighborhood. Each such event raises a wave of national grief and outrage and each raises the same question marks.
This time, a little girl of seven was kidnapped in broad daylight from a busy market, right near her house.Every child deserves to feel safe during a mundane trip to the shop without being afraid that it might be his/her last. Every parent deserves to feel secure about leaving his/her child at the corner store for a minute.
The Current Situation
The investigation is still underway. The challan will be filed in the court when all procedures have been followed through. The case is live, and the accused are in custody. The process is working, although perhaps just now.
However, for her father, Muhammad Naeem, no court ruling will ever take the place of what she took with her when she went. She was seven years old. She was in second grade. She was sent to purchase groceries on an early June day.