The primary suspects in the murder of 15-year-old Waseem Abbas in Multan and the suicide of Laiba in Islamabad have reportedly been killed by gunfire from their own associates.

In recent days, the primary suspects in the murder of 15-year-old Waseem Abbas in Multan and the suicide of Laiba in Islamabad have reportedly been killed by gunfire from their own associates. This raises a critical question: is the death of an accused person equivalent to ‘justice’? Furthermore, when both the general public and state institutions lose faith in the justice system, who bears the responsibility?

A video has been circulating on social media—captured by CCTV in Multan’s Royal Orchard Society—showing a boy running for his life while being pursued by a car. The 15-year-old, Waseem Abbas, was killed on the spot after being struck by the vehicle. It is worth noting that Waseem was working as an apprentice electrician for the suspect, Tauqeer, and it was Tauqeer’s car that struck and killed him.

‘Had there been no public pressure, the matter would have been hushed up.’

Advocate Fakhar Hayat Haraj played a leading role in the registration of an FIR against Tauqeer Nazir and in mobilizing lawyers. Speaking to NEWSCILIA.COM, he remarked that had it not been for public pressure, the matter would have been hushed up.

According to Fakhar Haraj, “I live in the Orchard Society. I was on my way home when a message appeared in the society’s group stating that a vehicle had run over a child. I immediately reached the scene, and the police arrived shortly thereafter.”

He notes that Waseem Abbas resided in an orphanage. When he arrived at the police station, the incident was being recorded in the FIR as an ‘accident,’ and the orphanage administration was being named as the complainant. He stated, “I pointed out that an injustice was taking place right from the very first step; it wouldn’t take long for a private settlement to be reached later on.”

According to Fakhar Haraj, he reached out to other lawyers by sending a message to their group. Through their efforts, the text of the FIR was amended, and the state became the complainant.

He states that there was intense anger among the lawyers when the police presented the accused in court to seek physical remand. However, the following morning, they learned that Tauqeer had been killed overnight due to gunfire from his own associates.

Following his father’s death, Waseem Abbas had been admitted to an orphanage in Multan, which is managed by the organization ‘Idara-e-Khudi’. NEWSCILIA.COM contacted Syed Asim Raza, who oversees public relations for the organization, to seek a comment; however, he did not provide one.

The Deaths of the Accused and the Unanswered Questions

According to Fakhar Haraj, the extrajudicial killings of the suspects raise several questions. He asks, “Why was the child so terrified? How was he treated while he was made to perform manual labor? Who else was with the suspect who was killed? These questions will now remain unanswered.”

Wasim Abbas, who was crushed under the vehicle, hailed from the village of Mondka in Muzaffargarh. Speaking to NEWSCILIA.COM, Irfan Laghari, a local journalist from Mondka, says, “The entire village is currently in a state of shock. Wasim’s younger brother was also at the same orphanage. They are extremely poor people who make a living by working on others’ farms. Among the villagers I spoke to, many seem satisfied with the suspect’s death.”

According to Haseena Khan, a legal professional in Islamabad, a significant number of people on social media appear satisfied with the extrajudicial killings of Noman and Tauqeer—a reaction that gives one much to ponder.

Speaking to NEWSCILIA.COM, she noted that the prevailing public sentiment is that if cases reach the courts, influential accused individuals often manage to get off easily. Yet, even in such instances, those whom the system intends to protect are shielded. Recalling a recent incident, she said, “Last year, on Islamabad’s Shahrah-e-Dastoor, the son of a judge ran over two young girls traveling on a scooter with his car. Although there are cameras everywhere, the CCTV footage of that incident never surfaced. Two days later, a settlement was reached.”

She says, “An easy way out has been found to deflect public pressure and evade responsibility—a move that is, by any standard, not worthy of praise.”

Death of the accused: Is this the solution to the problem?

According to experts, the public expression of satisfaction over the deaths of suspects reflects a deep disillusionment with a justice system from which people increasingly hold little hope of receiving timely justice. However, is the death of a suspect truly a solution to the problem, or does it merely raise further questions regarding the pursuit of justice?

Speaking to NEWSCILIA.COM, Haris Khalique, Secretary General of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, states, “The recent deaths of two suspects while in police custody serve as a grim reminder that law enforcement agencies continue to follow the same established patterns—a state of affairs that is truly regrettable.”

According to him, “Unfortunately, a perception persists among the public and state institutions that this method is an acceptable means of controlling crime. One reason for this is the public’s lack of confidence in the sluggish judicial system, while the public outrage surrounding such serious crimes also demands immediate results.”

Social commentator Ahmed Ejaz argues that support for extrajudicial killings is, in effect, an admission that the system established by the state is no longer considered acceptable—even by the state itself.

Speaking to Newscilia.com, he says, “This implies that even you do not believe in the system you have established. Who created this system? The state. The common man is not to blame for flawed police investigations or the slow pace of justice. If there are flaws and loopholes in the system, they were not created by the public—yet it is the public that has to bear the consequences.”

According to Ahmed Ejaz, the public’s endorsement of extrajudicial killings reflects their sense of helplessness, certain psychological tendencies, and their dissatisfaction with the system. However, he finds it even more concerning that the system itself lacks confidence in its own integrity.

He remarks, “Neither the institutions nor society understand the distinction between vengeance and justice.”