Family of 14-years old child with 28 inch height, 10 kg weight seeks govt; attention

F.P. Report

TIMERGARA:  The family of a bodily short 14 years’ old child Uzair Khan having 28 inch height and 10 kg weight has appealed to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and humanitarian organisations for provision of special facilities for the child.

The smallest child Uzair s/o Qadeem Khan though reads in grade 4th at government primary school GoroTalash in Lower Dir yet he remains often absent from the school because of fear from other kids and embarrassment. Uzair lives a normal life. He can run, play, jump and even sing but seems shy when someone asks him questions.

Talking to this reporter, the child’s mother said she had five children; three sons and two daughters out of which the number of Uzair is third. She said the child could not carry his bag to school. The mother said that rest of her children were normal and led routine life but Uzair was quite different. She said that it was hard for the family to take ultra-care of the child.

“I wish either to become a teacher or police man,” the smallest Uzair said, adding he was fond of reading but was unable to memorize and learn his lessons. “I am always afraid of other children and teachers as they beat me,” he said.

The mother said the family took him to different doctors at Timergara, Swat and Peshawar but he was incurable. She said that one of the doctors at Peshawar told her the child could not be treated.

The head teacher of his school Zahir Shah told on contact that all children and staff members at his school took humble care of Uzair because of his body. He said that Uzair attended the school but never passed the examination on his own. “We always promote him to the next grade as he is very weak in learning,” the head teacher said.

A local practitioner and prominent Pushto poet Fazal Hakim Andaleeb claimed that Uzair was the shortest boy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but he was not in sight. He said that Uzair needed extra care from the state and society. He said that people always made fun of him because of his shortness which harassed him. “It is a special child but he is always underestimated,” Andaleeb said, adding the child is very fast in running, climbing and games but no one cared about him. He said the child should be enrolled in a different school for his bright future.

Other neighbourers also demanded of the government to provide special facilities to the child so that he could lead routine life in future.