MULTAN: The killing of a 15-year-old orphan boy in Multan has sparked outrage after CCTV footage reportedly showed him being chased and run over by a car in a private housing society. The main suspect, who was arrested in connection with the incident, was later reported killed in an alleged police encounter in Bahawalpur.
The victim, identified as Waseem Abbas, belonged to Muzaffargarh and lived at an orphanage run by a non-governmental organisation. Police said he had been sent to work with a contractor, identified as Tauqeer Nazir, to learn electrical work.
According to initial reports, Waseem had been working with the contractor for approximately a week before the incident. He allegedly left the workplace following a dispute, after which the suspect reportedly pursued him in a vehicle.
CCTV footage circulating in the media appears to show the teenager attempting to flee before the car strikes him. The impact reportedly caused him to hit a nearby house gate, resulting in fatal injuries. Police registered a murder case and arrested Nazir, taking the vehicle into custody as part of the investigation.
The case took another turn on Wednesday when police reported that Nazir had escaped custody and was subsequently killed during an alleged encounter with personnel of Punjab’s Crime Control Department near Bahawalpur. The suspect’s death has added another dimension to a case that had already prompted public concern over violence against vulnerable children and accountability for alleged crimes.
Waseem’s death underscores the vulnerability of children without parental protection, particularly when they enter workplaces at an early age. The case raises pressing questions about child labour enforcement, institutional responsibility and the need to ensure that vulnerable children can access vocational opportunities without being exposed to abuse or violence.