The Shazia reunification represents a significant Mera Pyara success story, highlighting how technology-driven governance, institutional coordination, and public participation can successfully resolve long-standing cases of missing children in Pakistan.
Shazia, a young girl from Okara, went missing in 2017 after leaving her home and losing her way. Unable to identify herself or trace her family, she was found abandoned by a concerned citizen in Lahore and admitted to an Edhi Home. For nearly nine years, she lived without any confirmed identity, separated from her parents and family.
As part of its systematic outreach and data integration efforts, the Mera Pyara - Virtual center for child safety team regularly conducts interviews of unidentified and abandoned children residing in welfare institutions, including Edhi Homes. These interviews are documented, verified, and shared through Mera Pyara’s official digital platforms to enable public identification in a responsible and ethical manner.
In Shazia’s case, her interview video was shared on the official Mera Pyara Facebook page, where it was viewed by her family. Upon recognising their daughter, the family immediately contacted the Mera Pyara team. A comprehensive verification process was initiated, including family interviews, identity confirmation, and institutional coordination. After successful verification, Mera Pyara stays in coordination with relevant authorities to ensure a safe, dignified, and lawful reunification. Shazia was subsequently reunited with her parents in Lahore, ending nine years of separation.
You can read another reunification story of a missing child Nabeel, who reunited with his family after 16 years of separation.
Mera Pyara’s Impact on Child Safety
The Shazia reunification reflects the broader impact of the Mera Pyara Virtual Center for Child Safety. In just 18 months, Mera Pyara has reunited over 58,000 children out of nearly 60,000 reported cases across Pakistan. In addition, the platform has addressed more than 53,000 child safety cases, including harassment, abuse, sodomy, exploitation, and other serious threats to child welfare.
These results position Mera Pyara as one of the most impactful child safety and reunification initiatives in the region, supported by a centralised digital system and strong partnerships with law enforcement and welfare institutions.
How to Report a Missing Child
Citizens can report a lost or missing child or share child safety concerns through:
Punjab Emergency Helpline 15
Mera Pyara WhatsApp: 0309-0000015
Official Mera Pyara social media accounts
The Mera Pyara initiative demonstrates how compassion, digital governance, and community engagement can converge to ensure that no child remains invisible or permanently separated from their family.