MULTAN, Pakistan: An investigation is underway into the death of 15-year-old Waseem Abbas, who was allegedly run over by a car in Multan, Punjab. According to police, the teenager was reportedly fleeing to escape alleged abuse when the occupants of a car chased him and struck him with the vehicle.
The incident took place on the evening of October 19 in the Royal Orchard private housing society. CCTV footage recorded by a camera installed at a nearby house shows a boy running through a street as a car follows him. The vehicle then strikes the boy, leaving him near the gate of a house, after which two men emerge from the car.
Police have registered a murder case against two suspects in connection with the incident. The arrested suspect, who was allegedly driving the car, was produced before a court, which granted police four days of physical remand. The second suspect remains at large.
According to police, Waseem belonged to Muzaffargarh and had been living at an orphanage in Multan with his younger brother. Relatives said the two brothers were placed in the orphanage approximately five years ago following their father’s death.
Police said Waseem had been sent to a contractor about seven days before the incident to learn electrical work. The contractor reportedly undertook electrical jobs in various buildings. Waseem’s maternal grandfather, Ghulam Shabbir, alleged that the contractor made children from the orphanage work under the pretext of training and treated them as cheap labour.
Meanwhile, orphanage in-charge Jawad Haider said the children were sent to different individuals to learn practical skills and become self-reliant. However, he maintained that he was unaware of the alleged mistreatment of Waseem.
Multan City Police Officer Akhtar Farooq said police and district administration officials were questioning the orphanage management to determine the procedures under which children were sent to work with private individuals and whether any formal agreements existed with contractors.
He added that legal action would also be taken against the relevant individuals if negligence was established.
