Lawyers assault suspect in Multan boy’s murder case
A suspect accused of killing a 15-year-old orphan by running him over with a car in Multan was assaulted by lawyers during his appearance before a local court in Multan, prompting police to intervene and take him to safety.
The court approved four days of physical remand for the suspect, identified as Tauqeer Nazir, in the case involving the death of Waseem Abbas.
According to eyewitnesses and sources present at the court, lawyers attacked the suspect, tore his clothes and took him outside the court premises while beating him.
Police personnel rushed to the scene to control the situation and rescued him before transferring him back to the police station.
Waseem was allegedly killed in a private housing society in Multan after refusing forced labour and leaving the job where he had been sent to learn electrical work.
Police arrested Tauqeer shortly after the incident and registered a murder case against him.
Investigators said initial findings suggested the suspect had tried to portray the killing as a road accident, but CCTV footage appeared to show the boy running for his life as a car pursued him before running him over.
Multan City Police Officer Akhtar Farooq said that Waseem had been living at an orphanage run by a welfare organisation.
He had been sent to Tauqeer to learn electrical work about a week before the incident.
Tauqeer reportedly took electrical work contracts at different buildings and had previously trained children from the same orphanage.
Police said their initial investigation found no evidence that Waseem had been involved in theft or any other wrongdoing, adding that they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing and possible involvement of others.
Orphanage official Shoaib Haider said that Waseem had lived at the facility for five years and wanted to learn electrical work.
The orphanage administration had sent him to Tauqeer after making inquiries, he said, adding that 40 to 45 other boys were also receiving training from the suspect.
He added that the orphanage had recalled another child who was training under Tauqeer as a precaution.
Waseem’s uncle, Jafar Hussain, accused the suspect of deliberately running over his nephew and called for strict punishment.
He said Waseem’s father had died nine years ago and that family members had looked after the children before Waseem, his brother and a cousin were admitted to the orphanage.
After legal formalities, Waseem’s body was handed over to his uncle and maternal uncle.
His funeral prayers were held in his native village of Mouza Daulatpur, where he was later buried.