UAE schoolboy missing for two weeks is reunited with family

Mohammed Pervez, 15, had lived with construction workers and was discovered wandering around in Ajman

Mohammed Pervez, 15, is reunited with his father, Mohammad Aftab Alam after going missing for 15 days. Sharjah Police photo
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A missing schoolboy has returned home to his family in Sharjah after living with construction workers in Ajman for two weeks.

Mohammed Pervez, 15, finally returned home to his family in the early hours of Friday morning.

Mohammed had left home 15 days earlier following a row with his parents over watching YouTube videos late at night.

The Indian teenager cycled from Sharjah to Ajman where he stayed in a villa with five labourers after telling them his parents had went on holidays and left him behind.

"We were very happy when he returned because the last 15 days have been extremely difficult for everyone," his father Mohammed Aftab Alam told The National on Friday.

“We were going out of our minds wondering what could have happened to him."

Mr Alam said his son had fled the family home and cycled 14km to Ajman where he was taken in by construction workers.

"He told them his parents travelled to their home country and he was alone and had no money,” he said.

“He lied to them and they gave him a place to sleep and food; so he was with them the whole time.”

Young Mohammed was spotted by an eagle-eyed member of the congregation when he went to mosque on Thursday.

The mosque-goer recognised him from posters informing the public he was missing.

They contacted the police who tracked down the boy and confirmed his identity.

Mohammed Pervez, 15, centre, and his grandfather, Mohammad Idrish, right; and fatherMohammad Aftab Alam, left. Courtesy Mohammad Aftab Alam
Mohammed Pervez, 15, centre, and his grandfather, Mohammad Idrish, right; and fatherMohammad Aftab Alam, left. Courtesy Mohammad Aftab Alam

Mr Alam said that, despite being contacted by the police, he could not believe he was actually about to be reunited with his son.

“We received a call on Thursday at 11pm to go to Sharjah police headquarters to confirm it was him,” he said.

“We received false alarms before to go to Ibn Batuta Mall and Dubai Marina Mall [where people claimed the boy had been spotted].”

However, this time the call was genuine.

“At 2am they confirmed they were giving us back our child,” he said.

Police had previously issued an urgent appeal for information about the Indian boy who walked out of his Sharjah home two weeks ago.

He was discovered by police in Ajman who said he was walking around aimlessly in a residential area.

Mohammed was then taken to a local police station before being reunited with his family.

His father, Mohammad Aftab Alam, had previously told local media that the boy’s mother had not slept since his disappearance.

Mohammed Pervez has not been seen since he left his home on July 4. Courtesy: Sharjah Police
Mohammed Pervez has returned home to his family in Sharjah after running away on July 4. Courtesy: Sharjah Police

Police officers had scoured nearby mosques, schools, public places, hospitals and shopping malls to try and find the pupil who attends Delta English School in Sharjah.