Girl, 12, dies after alleged beating by employer in Sheikhupura

A 12-year-old girl working as a domestic helper died after allegedly being tortured by her employer in Sheikhupura, while a nine-year-old girl suffered a broken arm in a separate attack in the same city, The Express Tribune reported.

“Come immediately, and bring no one”

The girl, Zainab, died at a house on Khalid Road, within the jurisdiction of A Division police station.

Her mother said Zainab had worked at the house of a woman named Farhanda for the past 18 months, for a salary of Rs4,000 a month. Zainab’s father died six months ago, and her mother works at a brick kiln. The family’s money troubles forced the girl into domestic work, her mother said.

On the night of the incident, after 10pm, Farhanda called the mother and told her the girl was unwell, asking her to come to the house immediately and not to bring anyone with her.

The mother said she could not afford even the Rs100 rickshaw fare and walked for nearly two hours to reach the house. She said the woman repeatedly refused to let her speak to her daughter on the phone.

When she arrived, she found Zainab lying on the floor, with a wooden stick nearby. The woman and her son were not at the house.

Zainab’s uncle called the police, who collected evidence and took the body to hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Arrest

Farhanda, her son Ali Haider and her husband Riffaqat have been named in the case. Riffaqat has been arrested after District Police Officer Bilal Zafar Sheikh took notice, police said.

The DPO said strict legal action would be taken against the suspects and “no leniency” would be shown. Police said further action would depend on the post-mortem report and other evidence.

A second girl, a heated rod

Two days earlier, a nine-year-old girl, Iman Fatima, allegedly suffered a fractured arm after being assaulted by a married couple in Gujjar Town, within the Sadar police station area.

In a video statement, the girl said her employer repeatedly pressed a heated metal rod against sensitive parts of her body. Neighbours stepped in after hearing her screams and helped rescue her.

According to sources, the woman, Zunaira, and her husband, Waris, both work for the police department. Police have registered a case and started legal proceedings. The DPO has formed a team under the supervision of the SP Investigation.

“Influential people escape punishment”

Advocate High Court Hamid Khan said the killing was the second case of violence against a domestic worker reported in Sheikhupura within a few days.

He said the failure to enforce the law, and influential people escaping punishment, were contributing to more such incidents. The state must take strict measures, he said, so that would-be abusers “think twice” before committing similar acts.

A pattern of abuse

The cases come days after the killing of 15-year-old orphan Waseem Abbas in Multan, who was allegedly run over by his employer after trying to leave his job. His death led Punjab’s child protection bureau to remove 16 children from the orphanage that had sent him to work.

Zainab’s mother walked two hours through the night to reach her, and arrived too late.