Relatives, friends and guests attend road safety event.
More than three-hundred people gathered at Bradford City Park last weekend to remember a teenager, killed in a car crash earlier this year, and to warn others of the dangers of reckless driving.
The event was arranged by the family and friends of Saliq Malik, a local 15-year-old who was tragically killed when the car he was travelling in crashed in Barkerend in September.
Suffering serious head injuries at the scene, he was taken to hospital yet sadly died later that same day.
On Sunday 14th December, people from all faiths paid their respects to the former Hanson Academy pupil with moving speeches given by Saliq’s father, Amjad, as well as from local councillors, MPs and Imam Muhammad Asim Hussain.
Mr Malik spoke of the dangers of reckless driving and how it had impacted his family who were still struggling with the loss of their son.
Described as a child who ‘would want to put a smile on everyone’s faces’, Mr Malik, speaking to the Asian Express previously, added about his son: “He got on with everyone.
“He never liked to see anyone upset and would do whatever he could to make people smile. All the family loved him, and the youngest kids would always play with him and looked up to him.
“Our event is aiming to alert people of the dangers of dangerous driving, the effects it can have on drivers and passengers, as well as their families. We hope to prevent what happened to Saliq, happening to any other families.”
As well as speeches, balloons were sent off into the sky in remembrance of Saliq, before a giant banner was unveiled with the phrase ‘In memory of Saliq, based on the consequences of reckless driving’ written across it, alongside pictures of the teen.
A pair of white doves were also released into the sky as a tribute to the life of Saliq.
