LAHORE – The badly-crushed body of 15-year-old Qasim Siddique, who died after falling from a Dubai-bound plane a few days ago, was handed over to his parents on Thursday. Qasim, a resident of Naqshbandi Bazaar, Baghbanpura, studied in Matric at the Al-Hadi Foundation School.
Qasim’s close Ali Jamshed, a resident of the same area also accompanied him in trying to escape to Dubai and is feared dead. Qasim’s body was lying on roof of a house owned by Haji Afzal in A-Block, Al-Faisal Town in North Cantt Police Station precincts.
Qasim’s body was identified when Airport Security Force (ASF) officials found his and Ali’s bags lying besides bushes near the airport’s runaway. After his identification, Qasim’s parents had filed a petition in sessions judge’s court. On a special judicial magistrate’s order, police with help of Edhi Foundation exhumed the body and handed it to the deceased’s family for burial. On Thursday, he was laid to rest at the Mominpura Graveyard at around 5pm. Qasim’s father, Saddique, talking to journalists, said that Qasim’s death was result of security lapses. He held airport authorities responsible for death of his son saying that airport authorities could have saved life of his son if they had seen him entering the runway.
Ali’s father said that his son is still missing and he is worried about him. He said that he did not know that Ali and Qasim were making such plans. According to unconfirmed information, Ali’s body has been found by ASF but they are keeping it a secret. Local mosque cleric Saifur Rehman said that Qasim had told him that he was going to Dubai and he should pray for him. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani have sought reports on the issue.
Incharge Investigation of North Cantt Police Station Zahid Ali Shah, talking to Pakistan Today, said that they have received CCTV footage from airport authorities and ASF officials have also provided them rout maps of two flights which flew from the airport on the day of incident. He said that posters of Ali have been displayed in 200 police stations for finding him. According to sources, two boys managed to reach the runway from check post number 4 located near the holding area where every plane stops for five minute waiting for a green signal to take off. Sources said that security cameras installed at check post number 4 were also not functioning. Police have requested ASF to allow it to question officials posted at check post number 4.
