KARACHI (Matlub Hussain) The legal and administrative obstacles faced by the police to investigate and recover the cases of transfer of young girls to other provinces of the country after abduction are beginning to affect the speed of the investigation. In other provinces, the current procedure for obtaining permission from the Home Department for raids or the recovery of abducted girls is so lengthy that the police face difficulties in prompt action. The permission application prepared by the investigating officer takes about a month or more to reach the home secretary’s office through various stages, during which time the abductors have opportunities to change their location, hideout or further transfer of the abducted girls. According to police officials, time is of the essence in cases involving the abduction of minor girls, but lengthy administrative procedures for inter-provincial proceedings are hampering the prompt progress of investigative teams. Sources say that in some cases, the situation has changed by the time the permission stage required for the action is completed, despite the police getting timely information about the suspects and possible whereabouts. Despite the establishment of the Special Sexual Offense Investigation Unit (SSOIU) in the police to prevent the increasing incidents of abduction of young girls and effectively investigate such cases, the traditional administrative procedure is affecting the speed of the investigation process. According to sources, the main objective of setting up the special unit was professional and effective investigation of such sensitive cases, however, there are still administrative complications related to manpower, resources and inter-provincial operations.