In an extraordinary case highlighting the power of artificial intelligence, a woman who went missing 17 years ago in Pakistan has finally reunited with her family. The missing girl, Kiran, disappeared in 2008 at the age of 10—and has now returned home due to groundbreaking AI-driven facial recognition.
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This emotional reunion has been hailed as “AI’s miracle”, setting a new benchmark for how technology can transform missing-person investigations.
The Beginning: A 10-Year-Old Girl Lost in Islamabad
In 2008, young Kiran stepped out of her home in Islamabad to buy ice cream. She lost her way and, unable to recall her address, began crying in the streets.
A kind woman brought the girl to an Edhi Center, and shortly afterward, she was transferred to the Edhi Foundation’s shelter home in Karachi, where she grew up under the foundation’s care.
Despite multiple attempts by the Edhi Foundation and Islamabad Police over the years, her family could not be traced.
AI Becomes the Turning Point
This year, the Edhi Foundation sought help from Nabeel Ahmed, a cybersecurity expert associated with the Punjab Safe City Project.
Using:
- Childhood photographs
- Old documents
- Facial recognition algorithms
- Safe City digital data
Ahmed fed Kiran’s information into an AI-powered system. The technology compared her features across databases and successfully matched her face with an old missing-person report filed in Islamabad.
Digital tracking then helped locate her original family.
This marks one of Pakistan’s most remarkable AI-assisted reunification cases to date.
Father’s Emotional Journey Ends with Tears of Relief
When the news reached her parents, Kiran’s father Abdul Majeed, a tailor by profession, immediately travelled to Karachi.
He shared the emotional struggle of:
- Years of searching
- Countless inquiries
- Diminishing hope
He said he could not believe that after 17 years, his daughter was alive found through technology he never imagined would help him.
Kiran Thanks Edhi Foundation, Recalls Emotional Goodbye
Kiran expressed overwhelming joy after meeting her family but also admitted that leaving the Edhi shelter home was painful, saying:
“Bilkis Edhi cared for me like a mother. I owe everything to the foundation.”
She becomes the fifth girl from the Edhi shelter home to be reunited with her family through AI technology, police collaboration and Safe City Project support.
Why This Case Is a Milestone
1. AI’s Role in Humanitarian Work
This case shows how artificial intelligence can help in:
- Identifying missing persons
- Matching old records
- Rebuilding broken families
2. Strengthening Pakistan’s Safe City Systems
Safe City digital surveillance and data management played a key role in connecting the dots.
3. Recognition for Edhi Foundation’s Lifelong Work
The foundation’s decades-long commitment ensured Kiran remained safe, educated and cared for until her identity was confirmed.
AI Brings Hope, Reunites a Family After 17 Years
Kiran’s story is a powerful example of how technology—combined with compassion—can achieve miracles.
The reunion, made possible through AI, Safe City systems, and the Edhi Foundation, stands as one of Pakistan’s most heartening success stories in missing-person cases.
Munsif News 24×7 will continue to track global stories where technology changes lives and shapes new possibilities.