Hopeless Pakistani man offers his children for sale

A heartbreaking video has surfaced on social media showing, Sher Zaman, a resident of Teela Band in Peshawar, attempting to sell his children, causing widespread outrage. The uproar prompted the city administration to take notice of his desperate pleas for help.

Zaman, who with his children, used to work at a brick kiln, which has been closed for the last two years, is striving to make ends meet without much success.

Struggling in poverty and faced with starvation, loss of shelter, and stripped of all hope, he somehow convinced himself to take one of the most painful measures a parent could ever take.

"My family is starving, and I can't find any work," lamented Sher Zaman showing his broken roof of his rented home, which he said collapsed after torrential rains, leaving him needy. "I have become helpless, that's why I'm selling my children," he said sobbing.

The video, which left social media users in shock, drew the attention of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Peshawar, who quickly intervened to assist the distressed father.

The DC called Zaman to his office after the upsetting footage of him trying to sell his children went viral online.

"The children will be relocated to welfare institutions for education and upbringing," assured the DC, and ensured the well-being of Sher Zaman's children.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar also pledged to provide a job to the helpless father, after receiving necessary documents from him.

Former provincial minister Aqil Shah has also donated Rs150,000 to the poor family to ease their financial burden.

The incident exposes the severe challenges being faced by many underprivileged families in Peshawar, emphasising the critical need for robust social welfare reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

(With inputs from agencies)