LAHORE: The controversy around the death of Ammar Abad Farooq, the son of PTI leader Abad Farooq, refuses to go away even after his burial as social media and a section of the press continue putting the blame of the minor’s death on the government, demanding an independent inquiry.

Since his father is incarcerated over the May 9 violence and is awaiting a military trial, the establishment is being blamed as well for the death of Ammar (7) who died on Monday reportedly due to neurological complications and was buried the same day.

His father was set free shortly, allowed to attend the funeral prayers and rearrested immediately. His party tried to link Ammar’s death with the arrest of his father and mental pressure on him.

Abad Farooq’s brother Shehzad on Tuesday added another dimension to the controversy when he told a TV channel that the condition of Ammar’s mother was deteriorating on the same lines as those of her son.

PTI Secretary General Omer Ayub added fuel to the fire when he announced offering funeral prayers in-absentia throughout the country and party spokesman Raoof Hasan called the death a ‘murder’ that would not go to waste and a revolution would spring from the minor’s death.

The family said the death was caused by state oppression as after countless raids for the arrest of Abad, Ammar developed neurological issues for missing his father.

However, there are reports circulating that Ammar’s condition predated the month of May.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2023