Four little girls who had gone missing from the Hanjerwal area of Lahore five days back on July 30 were recovered from Sahiwal on Wednesday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

CCPO Lahore Ghulam Mehmood Dogar told the media that the actual facts would only be ascertained once the kids were brought back to Lahore. “Whether the girls had gone on their own or were kidnapped; this will now come to light only after the investigation in the case is complete,” he added.

10-year-old Anam, 11-year-old Kaneez and their friends Ayesha (14) and Samreen (8) had gone missing on Tuesday.

Lahore police arrested two persons, including rickshaw driver Arsalan, who had dropped the girls near EME Society at the Canal Road in connection with their disappearance.

Police had also taken into custody one of the neighbours of the girls named Omar who remained with them till 11 PM after which they had gone missing. The accused claimed he went back home after his mother called him, leaving the four girls in the area of Hanjarwal.

An FIR had been lodged on behalf of the father of the two missing girls – Anam and Kaneeza.

Both girls told their family that they were going to visit the Orange Line Metro Train.

As they did not return after a considerable time, their relatives decided to approach the local police for help.

The capital city police officer also took notice of the incident and sought a report from the officials concerned.

In yet another similar development, four sisters who had left their homes in Pakpattan were found in Lahore on Wednesday.

Later briefing the media, SP Cantonment said the girls had left their homes because they were afraid of their father who did not let them study. “They came to Lahore where a woman provided them shelter at her home for three days,” he said, and added, “Policemen deputed at a checkpost in Cavalry Ground found the girls roaming in a park. When questioned, one of the girls Anam replied that she and her sisters wanted to study further but their father wanted to marry them off. She further said that she was a pre-medical student and had secured 954 marks in matriculation exams. She appealed to Punjab CM Usman Buzdar to assist her and her siblings so that they could all complete their education since their father did not have the resources to bear the expenses of their education.”

Reporters Khalid Chaudhry and Israr Khan