Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Act, 2020

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THE ZAINAB ALERT, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY ACT, 2020 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
          CONTENT 
           
                                        
PART 1 
1.  Short title, extent and commencement 
2.  Definitions 
PART II 
3. Establishment of Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Agency 
4. Superintendence and administration of ZARRA 
5. Powers and functions of ZARRA 
6. Powers and functions of the ICT Child Protection Advisory Board for the purposes of this 
Act. 
7.  Coordination between ZARRA and Local Police Stations 
PART III 
8. Registration of FIR 
9. Punishment under this Act 
PART IV 
10. Power to make rules 
11. Power to amend Schedule A to this Act 
12. Financing of ZARRA 
13. Director General, officers and employees deemed to be public servants 
 

 
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PART V 
14. Application of Code 
15. Completion of trial 
16. Act to override other laws 
17. Removal of difficulties 
Schedule 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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THE ZAINAB ALERT, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY ACT, 2020  
 
  [19th March, 2020] 
 
ACT NO. XV OF 2020 
 
An Act to make provisions for raising alert, response and recovery of         missing and abducted 
children 
 
WHEREAS the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan recognizes  the inviolability of 
life, liberty and dignity of a person as fundamental right; 
 
AND WHEREAS, in recognition of the Constitution’s fundamental rights,  it is necessary to 
make provisions for the protection of missing and abducted children under the age of eighteen years, 
that includes raising alert, responding and recovering of missing and abducted children; 
 
AND WHEREAS  it is obligatory on the Government of Pakistan to make  provisions for 
ensuring the right to life and protection from violence, abuse,  neglect, abduction or exploitation of 
children under the age of eighteen years, as  envisaged under various national and international laws, 
conventions, covenants and instruments, relating to the rights of children, including, but not limited 
to, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child ratified by Pakistan on  12th November, 
1990; 
AND WHEREAS it is a matter of national concern that children under the  age of eighteen 
years, who are abducted, are at high risk of violence, exploitation, abuse, trafficking, rape or death; 
 
AND WHEREAS it is urgent and necessary to introduce systems with respect to raising alerts, 
as well as the response and recovery of missing and  abducted children, so that incidents such as that 
of a seven -year old Zainab,  resident of district Kasur, who was abducted, raped and murdered in 
January, 2018, do not occur again in future; 
 
AND WHEREAS it is in the interest of efficacy and avoidance of duplication of efforts that 
the ZARRA established pursuant to this Act will work supporting and complementing the mandate of 
federal and provincial law enforcement agencies and child protection and welfare institutions and to 
coordinate and guide the efforts of all governmental agencies, authorities and departments in relation 
to cases of missing and abducted children. 
 
It is hereby enacted as follows:— 
 
PART I 
 
1. Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be  called the Zainab Alert, 
Response and Recovery Act, 2020. 
 
(2) It shall extend to the whole of Pakistan. 
 
(3) It shall come into force at once. 
 
2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the  subject or context,— 
 
 
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(a) “Act” means the Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Act 2020; 
 
(b) “Alert” means any notification raised by ZARRA after receiving  any information 
or complaint about missing children on any media; 
 
(c) “Alert system” means an alert system established under this Act; 
(d) “Abduction” means,— 
 
(i) whoever by will or force, threat, violence, coercion or by any deceitful means 
induces any child under eighteen years of age  to move from one place to 
another and includes kidnapping as  defined in the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 
(Act XLV of 1860); or 
 
(ii) whoever has un -lawful custody of a minor or removing a child   from the 
custody of his parents or lawful guardianship; 
 
(e) “Abductor” means a person, a group of persons or an organization  who kidnaps, 
traffics or abducts a child; 
 
(f) “Board” means the ICT Child Protection Advisory Board established under the 
Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection Act, 2018 (XXI of 2018); 
 
(g) “Child” means anyone who has not attained the age of eighteen years at the time of 
commission of an offence or when reported to be missing or abducted; 
 
(h) “Code” means the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898); 
 
(i) “Government” means the Federal Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; 
 
(j)  “missing child” means any child for whom a complaint is lodged  with the police 
or in respect of whom information is given to any  ZARRA office or any other 
relevant authority assigned under this Act as missing because his whereabouts are 
not known to his parents or legal guardians or is a runaway child regardless of 
circumstances and causes of disappearance or time elapsed since the child went 
missing; 
 
(k) “organization” means any group, combination or body of persons  acting under a 
distinctive name; 
 
(l) “rape” means any forcible and non-forcible sexual conduct with a child by another 
person; 
 
(m)  “recovery” means all those required actions that may include, but  not limited to 
search, investigation, forensics, coordination and dispatch of specially trained 
teams to rescue, recover, to provide psycho-social support and bring the 
missing or abducted child to  safety; 
 
(n)  “response” means all those actions that must be taken by the ZARRA office, 
 
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police, local government, telecommunication companies, state and privately-
owned media channels, airports, railway stations, highway authorities, missing 
child response and recovery teams or any other organization or individual that is 
assigned a task under this Act; and 
 
(o)  “ZARRA” means Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Agency established under 
this Act of Missing and Abducted Children. 
 
PART II 
 
3. Establishment of Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Agency.—(1) The Government 
shall, by notification in the official Gazette, establish Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Agency 
(ZARRA) of missing  and abducted children. 
 
(2) The ZARRA shall consist of a Director General who shall be appointed by the Prime 
Minister after public advertisement in such manner and in  such terms and conditions as may be 
prescribed by Ministry of Human Rights.  Other officers and employees shall be appointed by the  
Director General in consultation with Ministry of Human Rights in such manner and on such terms  
and conditions as may be prescribed by rules. 
 
(3) The management staff of ZARRA shall be suitably equipped with  skills of managing 
databases, conducting planning and monitoring of programs,  analyzing data, preparing reports and 
coordinating with all other offices. 
 
(4) Standard operating procedures (SOPs) shall be devised to ensure   the safety and 
protection in the hands of authorities of the recovered missing or abducted child. 
 
(5) All helplines including helpline 1099 shall forward to ZARRA all  complaints relevant to 
the mandate of ZARRA. 
 
4. Superintendence and administration of ZARRA.—(1) The superintendence of the 
ZARRA shall vest with the ICT Child Protection Advisory Board. 
 
(2) The administration of the ZARRA shall vest in the Director General. 
(3) The Director General shall exercise such powers and perform such  functions as may be 
prescribed. 
 
5. Powers and functions of ZARRA.—The following shall be powers and functions of 
ZARRA that shall be performed under the administration of the Director General, namely:— 
 
(a) to activate Zainab alerts, when there is a missing or abducted child,  which shall 
include information on the physical characteristics of  the missing or abducted 
child as well as any other data that would help in the child’s identification, so as 
to inform the public at large and all concerned agencies to whom these alerts shall 
be issued; 
(b) to coordinate with Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for issuance of 
Zainab alert SMSs, MMSs and with Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory 
Authority (PEMRA) for broadcast/  tickers on television channels and 
 
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announcements on radio stations  and alerts on social media as well as postings 
on relevant websites  or online, print media or any other available medium to  
report         abductions; 
 
(c) to define procedures for how, when, w ith what frequency and in  which 
geographical territory the missing or abducted child alert shall be raised; 
 
(d) to provide nation -wide telephonic toll free hotline number 1099 or  such other 
number where any person may report a missing or abducted child and such 
number may be used by any member of public who has any information relating 
to the missing or abducted child; 
 
(e) to maintain online data base both in ZARRA and Division concerned and of every 
reported incident of a missing or abducted  child, the actions taken, the current 
status of the case and its final  outcome. This database shall be monitored for 
accuracy and shall  be kept updated at all times. The database shall cover all 
territories of Pakistan and shall be accessible to public on ZARRA webs ite in 
English and in Urdu; 
 
(f) to define procedures for who, how and when an incident of missing  or abducted 
child shall be brought on to the ZARRA database.  National Commission on 
Rights of Child and Division concerned  shall also have the responsibility to 
maintain a database. To maintain proper record for each case, coordinate any 
information on         missing children with local law enforcement agencies, detect 
criminal patterns in a geographical area, issue monthly public reports on missing 
and abducted children on its website, introduce procedures and key performance 
indicators that will improve and measure the effectiveness of ZARRA; 
 
(g) to ensure that the concerned stakeholders perform their duties in accordance with 
the prescribed rules; 
 
(h) to introduce a user friendly cellular mobile application linked with  the main 
database for reporting of any missing child and for updated information of any 
child abducted or recovered; 
 
(i) to initiate, refer or take action for proceeding against any noncooperation or non-
compliance by any organization or stakeholder  in accordance with the rules as 
may be prescribed under this Act; 
 
(j) to ensure that full real-time information is being received in ZARRA office; 
 
(k) to provide such administrative arrangements as may be necessary and appropriate 
to secure the safe return of any such child; 
 
(l) to facilitate the provision of legal aid or advice, where circumstances so requires; 
 
(m) to coordinate and cooperate with relevant foreign agencies and      authorities in 
cases of missing or abducted children where the child  has been wrongfully 
removed to, or from, Pakistan, and frame  Standard Operating Procedures for the 
 
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same; 
(n) to do any other task necessary to perform the functions of ZARRA; and 
(o) to seek the cooperation of all federal and provincial law enforcement agencies 
and any other federal or provincial agencies,  authorities or departments in cases 
of missing or abducted children. 
6. Powers and functions of the ICT Child Protection Advisory Board for the purposes 
of this Act.—Without prejudice to the business allocated to the Division concerned, the following 
shall be powers and functions  of the ICT Child Protection Advisory Board for the purposes of this 
Act, namely:— 
 
(a) to analyze the performance of ZARRA, to evaluate the effectiveness of ZARRA 
functions and to take actions to continually improve the performance of ZARRA; 
and 
 
(b) to provide governance and oversight in order to ensure that all actions relating to 
ZARRA that are initiated, from registration of  FIR to safe recovery of child and 
referral for rehabilitation of a recovered child, are performed efficiently. 
 
7. Coordination between ZARRA and Local Police Stations. —(1) The police station 
where a case of missing or abducted child is reported shall, immediately and not later than two hours 
after the complaint is lodged, through any available means of communication call, fax, electronic email 
or ZARRA mobile application, inform the ZARRA of the missi ng child incident and keep providing 
latest status of the case and all available details on daily basis. The missing or abducted child database 
shall be shared on online database, maintained by the ZARRA office in accordance with the prescribed 
rules. The police officer shall ensure that the required information in Schedule to this Act, is         made 
part of the complaint. 
 
(2) The Local Police and concerned law enforcement agencies shall on receipt of information 
under sub -section (1) take an immediate action and launch,  the investigation, search, rescue and 
recovery operations. ZARRA shall wherever  required, coordinate the efforts of the concerned Police 
stations and any other Federal and provincial agencies, authorities or departments. 
 
(3) In case ZARRA office receives a direct complaint of a missing or  abducted child, it shall 
coordinate immediately with the local police station and  other ZARRA offices to ensure all actions 
relating to ZARRA are initiated. This  includes registering of a complai nt at the concerned police 
station, any other  federal or provincial agency, authority or department that ZARRA may consider  
necessary in this regard on behalf of the complainant. 
 
PART III 
 
8. Registration of FIR.—(1) “Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the 
time being in force, upon receiving information that a child is missing, the officer in charge of a police 
station shall reduce the same into writing in the same book and in the same manner as prescribed for 
a cognizable offence under section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and shall be under a        duty 
to cause investigation of the same and recover the missing child and also  ensure that the required 
information in Schedule A to this Act, is made part of the         complaint. 
 
 
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(2) A police officer investigating the case of a missing child shall have  the same powers as 
available to an officer investigating a cognizable offence under the code of criminal procedure: 
 
Provided that the provisions of this section are intended to supplement the powers, 
responsibilities and duties of the police in relation to missing children and nothing herein shall  be 
deemed to curtail or detract from their  powers, responsibilities and duties in respect of any offence 
relating thereto as provided under any other law for the time being in force”. 
9. Punishment under this Act. —Any police officer who does not  comply with the 
provisions of section 8 of this Act in case of missing or abducted  child or any other public officer who 
willfully delays or hinders in providing or  processing the information in accordance with provisions 
under this Act, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description not less than 1 year and up 
to 2 years and a fine of not less than Rs. 50,000/- and up to Rs. 100,000/-. 
PART IV 
10. Power to make rules. —ZARRA in consultation with the Minister -in-charge may, by 
notification in the official Gazette, make rules within six months of the commencement of this Act to 
carry out the purposes thereof. 
11. Power to amend Schedule A to this Act.—ZARRA in consultation with the Minister-
in-charge may amend the Schedule A to this Act        so as to add thereto or omit there from or amend 
therein any entry. 
12. Financing of ZARRA.—(1) The remuneration payable to the Director General, other 
employees, staff and administrative expenses of the ZARRA shall be made from funds allocated by 
Federal Government. 
13. Director General, officers and employees deemed to be public servants.—The Director 
General, officers and employees of ZARRA shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning 
of section 21 of the Pakistan  Penal Code 1860 (Act XLV of 1860) and shall be subject to all the 
relevant provisions of sections 161 to 169 of the said Act XLV of 1860. 
PART V 
14. Application of Code.—The provisions of the Code shall apply to  the proceedings under 
this Act, except in the case of juveniles who will be dealt under the Juvenile Justice System Act, 2018. 
15. Completion of trial.—Notwithstanding anything contained in any  other law for the time 
being in force, offences against children under the age of 18, including but not limited to, section 292-
A, section 292-B, section 328, section 328-A, section 361, section 362, section 364, section 364 -A, 
section 365, section 366-A, section 369, section 369-A, section 372, section 373, section 375, section 
377 and section 377-A of the Pakistan Penal Code shall be tried by magistrates and judges, as the case 
may be, specifically designated for such  purpose by the Sessions Judge of the district concerned and 
all such trials shall be        concluded in not more than three months: 
Provided that nothing herein shall affect the trial of any offence being  conducted or to be 
conducted by the anti-terrorism courts established under ATA 1997. 
 
16. Act to override other laws.—Subject to section 15, the provisions of this Act shall have 
overriding effect notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force. 
 
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17. Removal of difficulties.—If any difficulty arises in giving effect to  any of the provisions 
of this Act, the Federal Government may make such order, not inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act, as may appear to be necessary for  the purpose of removing the difficulty. 
Schedule 
[See Section 7(1)] 
(a) Basic information about the missing child:— 
(i) Full name; 
(ii) Date of birth; 
(iii) Birthplace; 
(iv) Nicknames, if any; 
(v) Current and previous addresses. Who else lived there?; 
(vi) Current and former employers; 
(vii) Languages spoken; and 
(viii) School attended; 
(b) Physical description of the missing child:— 
(i) Height; 
(ii) Weight; 
(iii) Age; 
(iv) Build; 
(v) Hair Color and Length of Hair; 
(vi) Eye color; 
(vii) Any distinguishing marks - such as tattoos, birthmarks, scars, etc.; 
(viii) Beard, mustache and sideburns; and 
(ix) Most recent photo of the missing child; 
(c) Habits and personality of missing child:— 
(i) Does the child have any personal or emotional problems?; 
(ii) Any addiction drug or smoking; 
(iii) What level of education or training does the child have? ; and 
(iv) Does the child visit frequently any particular areas or places  of interest? ; 
(d) Clothing that the missing child was wearing the last time seen:— 
(i) Style and color of wearing cloths; 
 
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(ii) Style and color of jacket or outerwear ; 
(iii) If applicable, type of headwear; 
(iv) Type of glasses; 
(v) Type of gloves; and 
(vi) Type and color of footwear; 
(e) Trip plans of the missing child the day he went missing:— 
(i) What were the missing child’s plans and activities on the day he went missing?; 
(ii) Where was he or she going?; 
(iii) Why was he or she going there?; 
(iv) If the individual was travelling by car, can you provide the  make and model 
number, licensed plate number, as well as registration if possible; and 
(v) Provide information about any other vehicles or mode of travel the missing child 
may have access too; 
(f) Information about the last time the missing child was seen:— 
(i) The time and location of where he or she was last seen; 
(ii) The name of the individual who last saw the missing child; 
(iii) The name of the individual who last talked at length with the missing child; 
(iv) The direction the missing child was travelling the last time seen; 
(v) The attitude of the missing child the last time seen; 
(vi) Was the missing child complaining of or concerned about  anything before he 
or she went missing; 
(g) Overall health and condition of the missing child:— 
(i) Physical condition; 
(ii) Any known medical problems or disease; 
(iii) Any handicaps or disabilities; 
(iv) Any psychological problems; 
(v) Any medications that the child is taking; 
(vi) Any addictions that the child has; 
(vii) Provide the name of the missing child’s family physician and  their health card 
number, if possible; 
(viii) Provide the name of the missing child’s main dentist, if possible; 
 
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(ix) Potential people that the child may have contacted last time; and 
(x) List all of the child’s friends and acquaintances who the missing child may try to 
contact. Try to include addresses and telephone numbers; and 
(h) Belongings of the missing child:— 
(i) Items such as a hairbrush, a toothbrush, or undergarments in  the event that 
investigators may need to undertake DNA analysis; 
(ii) Any electronic equipment such as a cell phone or computer. What is the maker 
of phone and the cell phone provider; and 
(iii) As well, do you know if they were active on a chat line or other social on-line or 
media network such as facebook? 
____________ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
RGN Date: 30-12-2025