After 9 years of separation, Shahida has finally returned to her family. Her emotional reunification is another reminder that even when a person is unable to share their identity or remember where they belong, the right effort can still lead them back home.
Shahida, a woman living with a mental health condition, was found in a vulnerable condition in 2017 in Baldia Town, Karachi. At the time, she was unable to provide any information about her home address or family, making it extremely difficult to trace her loved ones.
For her safety and care, Shahida was shifted to an Edhi Centre, where she remained under protection for several years. Meanwhile, her family had no idea where she was or what had happened to her.
Later, as part of its nationwide efforts to reunite lost and unidentified individuals with their families, the Mera Pyara – Virtual Center for Child Safety (VCCS) team visited Karachi. It began working on several cases involving vulnerable and unidentified individuals. The Mera Pyara team also took up Shahida's case.
The team carefully reviewed her available record and conducted a detailed interview with her. Since Shahida could not provide enough information to help identify her family, the team decided to share her video through Mera Pyara's official social media platforms.
The hope was simple: perhaps someone, somewhere, would recognize her.
And that hope finally became reality.
Shahida's elder brother, Muhammad Yasin, came across her video on social media. The moment he saw her, he recognized her as his sister, who had been separated from the family since 2017. Without delay, he contacted the Mera Pyara team and shared the information needed to move forward with the case.
The Mera Pyara team immediately coordinated with the family and carried out the necessary verification process to confirm Shahida's identity and her relationship with the family. After all required verification and formalities were completed, Shahida was safely handed over to her family.
After years away from home, Shahida finally returned to the people who had been waiting for her.
The reunion was filled with happiness, relief, and gratitude. For her family, it was the end of years of uncertainty. For Shahida, it was the beginning of a new chapter surrounded by the people she belonged with.
Shahida's reunion story shows the power of public participation and responsible use of social media. A single video, seen by the right person, can become the bridge between a lost loved one and a family that has been waiting for years.
Through field visits, case documentation, family tracing, social media campaigns, and public cooperation, Mera Pyara – Virtual Center for Child Safety, an initiative of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA), continues its mission to reconnect lost and unidentified individuals with their families.
Many Families Are Still Waiting
Even today, we have the profiles of 1,949 unidentified found children in our records who are still waiting to be reunited with their families. You can view their profiles on the official Mera Pyara website and Facebook page.
If you recognize any of them or have information that could help reconnect them with their loved ones, please contact us promptly. Your one message could help reunite a child with their family and make you a part of this noble cause.
Together, we can turn one recognition into a lifetime reunion.
You can read another emotional reunification story of Samina Lal Khan, who reunited with her family after 17 years of separation.