HM receives thanks from Kuwait Emir

Prayers were offered at Pakistan School Muscat in memory of Zafeer who died in an accident a year ago

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a cable of thanks from His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jabir Al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait in reply to His Majesty’s condolences cable on the death of Sheikha Sara Yousif Al Athbi Al Sabah. In his cable, Sheikh Sabah expressed his utmost thanks for His Majesty’s sincere condolences and sympathy, praying to Allah the Almighty to rest the deceased’s soul in peace and protect His Majesty against all harms. MUSCAT: “Please drive safely. If you kill a member of a family, the whole family dies for good.”

That was the message from Munawar Hameed, who lost his 14-year-old son in a road accident one year ago, on a busy Muscat side road.

Schoolboy Zafeer Hameed, a Grade XI student of Pakistan School Muscat, was hit by a car near Hamriya roundabout while he was returning home after taking extra school lessons on October 16, 2016.

His father Munawar has now returned to Pakistan as he could not bear to remain in Oman after the death of his son.

He is currently heading academics at an international school in Karachi. “My family shifted to Pakistan immediately after the incident, and I was living alone in Muscat, which I was finding it extremely difficult to do.

“So, in July this year, I also shifted back to Pakistan,” he told Times of Oman on Tuesday.

Earlier this year, Muscat Municipality reduced the speed limit on the road from Ruwi to Hamriya to 60km per hour from 80km per hour. “It is a good thing to happen, as we used to see a lot of motorists speeding on that road while people were crossing the road dangerously,” Pakistan School Muscat Principal Khalid Jadoon said.

The civic body has painted yellow caution lines to alert drivers to reduce speed on the Hamriya flyover. Zafeer was knocked over and killed as he crossed a side road near Hamriya roundabout.