Minister of Gender, Family and Social Services, Shidhatha Shareef is to be summoned to the parliament committee on Human Rights and Gender for questioning regarding 14-year-old Shaim Abdulla’s case.

The meeting has been scheduled for 8pm on Saturday and will focus on discussing investigations into Shaim’s case as well as seeking details from the Gender Minister regarding his disappearance.

While the 14-year-old has been missing since 18 June, he is to have fled while under state care at the children’s shelter in Villimalé.

The ministry had revealed that authorities are searching for Shaim only after reports started circulating on social media.

Gender Ministry earlier revealed that Shaim had fled while under state care as he was to have allegedly been involved with “criminals”. He was placed separately from the other children.

Thus far, officers have conducted search operations at three houses in search of Shaim. They are pursuing the search by perusing CCTV footage as well, reported the police.

On the night of his disappearance, the night staff at the children’s center is to have checked on him thrice while he was sleeping. Shaim is to have slept with his face covered on a regular basis. While it is not clear whether he did this on purpose with such a plan in mind, it is certain that this particular mannerism helped him flee.