Multan employer arrested for allegedly chasing, running over 15-year-old orphan

MULTAN: A 15-year-old boy was allegedly chased and run over by a man in a car at a private hous-ing society in Multan after leaving work at the suspect’s house, police said, adding that the suspect had been arrested and a murder case registered.
The victim, identified as Waseem, lived at an orphanage run by a non-governmental organisation (NGO). Multan City Police Officer Akhtar Farooq said the orphanage administration had sent him to the suspect, identified as Tauqeer, seven days earlier to learn a trade.
Tauqeer, who undertook electrical work at various buildings, was teaching the boy to become an elec-trician, the police officer said.
According to police, the boy left the work, prompting the suspect to pursue him in his car. CCTV footage reportedly shows the teenager running away before the car strikes him.
Police said initial investigations had found no evidence that the boy had committed theft. Police have detained some members of the orphanage administration for questioning as part of the investigation. Farooq said children from the orphanage had previously been sent to the suspect for vocational train-ing. Investigators are examining the circumstances in which Waseem was sent to work with him and the events leading to his death. The murder case was registered with the police as complainant, the city police officer said. Waseem was originally from Muzaffargarh. His body was taken there by his uncle and maternal uncle after the incident. His funeral prayer was held in the village of Daultpur and he was buried in the local ancestral grave-yard. Only close relatives and orphanage officials attended the funeral, according to the available reports.  The funeral was held promptly because of the condition of the body, the reports said.
Police said the investigation was continuing.
Sharing details, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said Waseem had been living at the Dar-ul-Khuda orphanage for six years before being handed over to contractor Tauqeer a week ago to learn electrical work.
She said Waseem was mistreated at the workplace on November 19 and fled. Tauqeer and his associ-ate Amjad allegedly chased him in a car for around one kilometre before running him over, killing him.
Bokhari said Tauqeer had been arrested and the vehicle seized, while police were conducting raids in Faisalabad to arrest Amjad.
“Women and children are Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s red line. Such crimes will not be tolerated under any circumstances in Punjab,” she said.
FIR No. 990/2026 has been registered under Sections 302 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code, with po-lice as the complainant. The arrested suspect has been remanded for five days, she added.
The minister said the prosecution was working with police to build a strong case, while Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was personally overseeing the matter and had directed authorities to ensure justice “at all costs”.
Bokhari said the SP Cantt had met Waseem’s family in Muzaffargarh, assured them of assistance and provided financial support. –Agencies