A 15-year-old boy's quest to learn a trade ended in tragedy on the streets of Multan, prompting swift police action against both an employer and an orphanage administrator. According to Geo News, authorities registered a case against an orphanage administrator after Waseem Abbas, an orphaned teenager, was allegedly chased and run over by a car in Multan's Royal Orchard housing society.
Geo News reported that the teenager had been living at an NGO-run orphanage before being sent to work with Tauqeer Nazir about a week prior to his death to learn electrical work. The young boy reportedly wanted to leave the job due to alleged mistreatment before the fatal incident occurred.
Background
According to the details provided by Geo News, the prime suspect, Tauqeer Nazir, was initially arrested and remanded into police custody for four days by a judicial magistrate in Multan for questioning regarding the teenager's murder. However, the suspect was subsequently killed in a purported encounter with Punjab's Crime Control Department (CCD) near Bahawalpur on Wednesday.
CCD District Officer Irfan Akbar stated to Geo News that a police team attempted to stop two men on a motorcycle near the Northern Bypass in Bahawalpur, leading to an exchange of fire when the men opened fire while attempting to flee. Following these events, Geo News reported that the case against the orphanage administrator was filed on the complaint of a Labour Department assistant director, targeting Shoaib, a member of an NGO's governing body, for transferring the child for employment without permission. Additionally, a separate case was registered against the late Tauqeer under the Child Labour Act for employing an underage child.
Why it matters
This case brings the critical oversight of child welfare institutions and child labor regulations into sharp focus for ordinary citizens across Pakistan. The legal proceedings highlight the administrative responsibilities and liabilities associated with the care of vulnerable minors in NGO-run facilities.