PESHAWAR: The local police have recovered a minor boy and arrested his father after pictures went viral on social media showing the boy was chained at a teashop in Nasirpur area here.

The officials of Chamkani police station arrested the man, Sardar Khan, and produced him before court of judicial magistrate Hameedullah Khan, who sent him to prison.

The minor boy was later handed over to his family members, including his elder brother and an uncle, who undertook that the boy would not be treated badly again.

The pictures of the minor boy went viral on Thursday showing one of his legs in chains while he was doing some chores at a small teashop.

Initially, it was presumed that someone had kept him in chains and forcing him to labour, but later it emerged that the shop was run by his father and he had chained his leg.

An official at Chamkani police station told Dawn that as there was no clear provision of law available, for the time being they had registered a report in daily diary and booked the father, Sardar Khan, under section 107 of CrCP, dealing with a person likely to commit a breach of public tranquility.

Under the said provision the court could set him free after he submits surety bonds.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2019