A 15-year-old orphan, Waseem Abbas, was killed after allegedly being run over by a vehicle in a private housing society in Multan after he tried to leave work and return home.
The horrifying incident has sparked outrage, with police registering a murder case, arresting the main suspect and launching a search for his alleged accomplice.
Waseem’s grieving family has appealed to the authorities for justice, while police say they are preparing a strong case to pursue the maximum possible punishment for those responsible.
What happened to Waseem Abbas in Multan?
According to the police complaint and accounts provided by people familiar with the incident, Waseem had been sent to learn the trade of an electrician about a week before his death. He reportedly did not want to continue working and wanted to return home.
The teenager allegedly fled after refusing to continue the work, prompting his employer, Tauqeer Nazir, and another man, Amjad Ali, to pursue him in a vehicle. The suspects are accused of deliberately driving the vehicle over Waseem with the intention to kill him.
Footage of the incident has emerged, showing the horrifying sequence that has left viewers and local residents shaken. Accounts of the incident describe Waseem desperately trying to escape the pursuing vehicle, running away and moving off the road in an attempt to save his life.
According to the first information report (FIR), the boy’s head was crushed after he struck a pillar at a house. He died at the scene from his severe injuries.
FIR alleges deliberate killing; second suspect remains at large
A murder case was registered at the DHA Police Station on the complaint of a sub-inspector. The FIR names Tauqeer Nazir and Amjad Ali as suspects and alleges that they deliberately drove their vehicle over Waseem with the intention of killing him.
The FIR further states that the suspects attempted to flee after the incident but their vehicle failed to start. An eyewitness who owns the house outside which the incident occurred said the vehicle struck the boy directly in front of his gate.
The homeowner also alleged that the men dragged Waseem’s body and attempted to escape in the vehicle. According to his account, one suspect was caught while the other managed to flee.
Police arrested Tauqeer Nazir and presented him before the area magistrate, who granted a four-day physical remand. Amjad Ali remains at large, and police say raids are being conducted to locate and arrest him.
CPO promises maximum punishment
Multan City Police Officer Akhtar Farooq described the killing as a grave injustice against an orphaned child. He said police acted promptly, arrested the main suspect and were committed to building a strong case.
The CPO said the case had been registered on behalf of the police to prevent any compromise or out-of-court settlement. He added that continuous raids were underway to apprehend the second suspect.
Farooq assured the public that investigators would prepare a robust charge sheet, known locally as a challan, and strive to secure the maximum possible punishment for those found responsible.
Waseem’s family recounts his wish to return home
Waseem’s younger sister told Samaa TV that the three siblings — a brother and two sisters — had lived together at the same orphanage, where they studied, played and shared their daily lives. She said Waseem loved his siblings dearly.
According to his sister, Waseem had gone to learn the trade of an electrician about a week earlier but did not like the work and ran away. She alleged that his employer chased him in a vehicle and ran him over.
Appealing directly to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the girl urged the provincial government to ensure justice for her brother.
Waseem’s cousin Nadeem, who lived with him at the orphanage, recalled that the teenager had repeatedly said he did not want to work as an electrician and wanted to return home. Nadeem said he did not know Tauqeer and had never met him, adding that Waseem had stopped returning to the orphanage after beginning his electrical training.
Mother demands exemplary punishment
Waseem was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard in Mauza Daulatpur, Muzaffargarh, following a funeral prayer held late at night. The burial took place promptly because of the deteriorating condition of his body, and only close relatives and orphanage officials attended the funeral prayer.
His mother, devastated by the loss, appealed to the prime minister to ensure justice and demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible for her son’s death. She said her child had been murdered by being run over by a vehicle.
“If Waseem wasn’t performing his work well, they could have just let him go; why did they have to kill him?” she asked, questioning why the teenager had to lose his life over a dispute concerning his work.
Family circumstances and decision to place Waseem in orphanage
Local residents said Waseem’s father died when he was young and his mother later married his paternal uncle. According to these accounts, Waseem and his brother were subsequently placed in an orphanage by their maternal grandfather.
The grandfather confirmed that he had taken Waseem to the orphanage. He said he believed the arrangement would allow the orphaned child to receive an education rather than wander around and face hardship.
The grandfather also confirmed that Waseem’s mother had later married the boy’s paternal uncle and demanded that the accused be punished.
Orphanage manager calls incident murder
The orphanage administration had sent Waseem to learn a trade. The manager said the incident was not an accident but murder.
The report also raises questions about the circumstances in which Waseem was handed over to the contractor for vocational training and whether his family had been consulted before the arrangement was made.
Waseem’s death has intensified calls for accountability, including questions about the protection of children living in orphanages and the responsibility of those entrusted with their care.
Wider questions about justice
The killing has prompted grief and anger in Multan and Muzaffargarh, with Waseem’s family demanding justice and police promising action against both suspects. The case has also drawn attention to the circumstances faced by orphaned children and the safeguards needed when they are placed in work or vocational training.
Waseem was a ninth-grade student, according to the account provided in the report. His family says he wanted to return home, while the police investigation will determine the criminal responsibility of the suspects named in the FIR.
With Tauqeer Nazir in police custody on physical remand and Amjad Ali still at large, the family is waiting for the investigation and court proceedings to deliver justice for the 15-year-old.
