12-year-old goes missing from mall

Abu Dhabi: An expatriate family in the capital is waiting anxiously for the return of their 12-year-old son, who has been reported missing since Saturday afternoon.

Mohammad Fazil, a grade six pupil of a private school in the capital, was last seen at Al Wahda Mall on Saturday by his father, T.P. Mustafa.

"We have contacted all our friends and family in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. No one knows where Mohammad is and we are getting more and more worried. He has no money on him. Where could he be?" Mustafa, a 48-year-old businessman from India, told Gulf News.

On Saturday morning, Fazil had been scheduled to attend religious classes in the city. Mall security officials, however, called Mustafa at about 1pm to inform him that his son was at Al Wahda Mall, situated on Hazza Bin Zayed Street.

"I found out that my son had not boarded the bus to go to his classes, and I headed to the mall to pick him up. I met him, took him to my car, and stepped into the mall again to speak to the mall security officials. When I returned to my car, Mohammad was gone," Mustafa said.

The worried father looked around and also alerted mall security officials again. Their search, however, proved futile.

"Perhaps my son is a little afraid because he did not attend classes and I came to know of it. But we want him to know that we are not angry and are just anxious to have him back," Mustafa said.

Fazil, who was born in the capital, has two younger sisters. His father added that although he knows the roads well, Fazil is generally not allowed to go out on his own. He also does not have a mobile phone.

"My wife and I are fraught with worry and Mohammad's sisters miss him terribly. We are praying for his safety and quick return, wherever he is," Mustafa added.

A spokesperson at Al Wahda Mall confirmed that Mustafa had been contacted and that he had picked up his son.

"After a while, he came and reported again that his son was missing. Security officials helped in a search but could not find him. We hope he is well and returns to his family soon," the spokesperson added.

Police officials did not reveal further details in order to protect the safety of the ongoing probe.