8 year old beaten and killed by employer in Pakistan

[aryadravida]

People on Twitter, including politicians, on Wednesday demanded justice for an eight-year-old girl who succumbed to injuries inflicted by her employers ⁠— who allegedly tortured her for accidentally setting their parrots free.

Zahra, who was a domestic worker at a household in Rawalpindi, was brought to the Begum Akhtar Rukhsana Memorial Hospital on Sunday in an injured state by her employer. According to the police, the suspect admitted that he and his wife had beaten Zahra after she let his "expensive pet parrots escape from their cage".

Zahra succumbed to her injuries soon after she was brought to the hospital and both her employers were arrested the same day. They were remanded into police custody until June 6.

The first information report, that was registered in Rawat police station on behalf of the SHO soon after the victim was brought to the hospital and was still alive, said that she had injuries on her face, hands, below her rib cage and legs. The FIR stated that she also had wounds on her thighs which suggested that she might have been sexually assaulted. Police have sent samples for forensic examination to confirm if an assault took place and are yet to receive a report.

The report was filed under Sections 302 (punishment for qatl-i-amd), 376 (punishment of rape) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Zahra's body was handed over to her family after a post-mortem examination, which revealed that the victim had died due to her injuries.

The girl hailed from Punjab's Kot Addu city and was employed by the couple four months ago to take care of their one-year-old child, police said. When employing her, the suspect had promised to provide her an education.

The incident has reignited a discussion over the exploitation of minors and child labour laws in Pakistan.

Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said the ministry had taken notice of the incident and was in contact with the police. She added that the human rights ministry's lawyer was following the case as well.

She further said that the ministry has proposed an amendment to add domestic labour as "hazardous occupation in Schedule 1 of Employment of Children Act, 1991".


Shireen Mazari

✔@ShireenMazari1

Viz case of domestic child maid Zohra abused & killed - MOHR is in touch with police. Our lawyer is following case.Husband & wife on 4 day remand. Mohr proposed amend to add domestic labour as hazardous occupation in Schedule 1 of Employment of Children Act1991 @RabiyaJaveri


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3:00 PM - Jun 3, 2020
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PPP Senator Sherry Rehman, in response to a tweet, vowed to take the case up, adding that child labour "has to stop".


SenatorSherryRehman

✔@sherryrehman

Will be taking it up. It has to stop #JusticeForZohraShah https://twitter.com/benazirjatoi/status/1268001137896144896 …

Benazir Jatoi@BenazirJatoi

A child of 7 was employed by two adults for domestic work. She was murdered by them. We demand #JusticeForZohraShah and an end to child labour. This has to stop.


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10:35 AM - Jun 3, 2020
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Nida Kirmani, a teacher at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, demanded an end to employing children, saying it was "the worst kind of exploitation".

"It leaves kids vulnerable to abuse. Employ their parents. Support them in going to school. Treat everyone’s children as if they were your own, with kindness & respect. Be a decent human," she tweeted.


Nida Kirmani@nidkirm

Stop employing children! It’s the worst kind of exploitation. It leaves kids vulnerable to abuse. Employ their parents. Support them in going to school. Treat everyone’s children as if they were your own, with kindness & respect. Be a decent human. #JusticeForZohraShah


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PPP leader Sharmila Faruqi also condemned the incident saying that the "barbarity of this [crime] is sickening".


Sharmila faruqi@sharmilafaruqi

8 year old #zohrashah killed by her employer in Rawalpindi for freeing caged parrots. The barbarity of this is sickening. First you employ an underage child & then murder her in cold blood! May you rot in hell! #JusticeForZohraShah


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The incident comes months after the Supreme Court set aside the extended three-year sentence against former additional district and sessions judge Raja Khurram Ali Khan and his wife Maheen Zafar, who were convicted for torturing their 10-year-old maid Tayyaba. The case had garnered attention in 2016, when photos of Tayyaba were circulated on social media. The young girl suffered bruises, wounds and burns to her body while employed as domestic help by the additional judge.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1561041/8...awalpindi-over-setting-free-their-parrots-fir

 

[aryadravida]

Disgusting...we still have places like north india and pakistan in this world where children as young as 8 year olds are employed for physical work...Shameful
May that girls soul Rest in peace

 

[Imran Khan]

this guy need to be hanged with in 3 days no more court dramas . if he will go Lahore high court will set him free .

 

[S.Y.A]

The incident comes months after the Supreme Court set aside the extended three-year sentence against former additional district and sessions judge Raja Khurram Ali Khan and his wife Maheen Zafar, who were convicted for torturing their 10-year-old maid Tayyaba.

the accused, in this case, can now cite this case to get away. easy. the SC set a precedent. the ruling should be applicable to all. who cares about children of poor people, they are expendable.

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman, in response to a tweet, vowed to take the case up, adding that child labour "has to stop".


SenatorSherryRehman

✔@sherryrehman


Will be taking it up. It has to stop #JusticeForZohraShah https://twitter.com/benazirjatoi/status/1268001137896144896 …

Benazir Jatoi@BenazirJatoi

A child of 7 was employed by two adults for domestic work. She was murdered by them. We demand #JusticeForZohraShah and an end to child labour. This has to stop.


230
10:35 AM - Jun 3, 2020
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Nida Kirmani, a teacher at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, demanded an end to employing children, saying it was "the worst kind of exploitation".

"It leaves kids vulnerable to abuse. Employ their parents. Support them in going to school. Treat everyone’s children as if they were your own, with kindness & respect. Be a decent human," she tweeted.


Nida Kirmani@nidkirm


Stop employing children! It’s the worst kind of exploitation. It leaves kids vulnerable to abuse. Employ their parents. Support them in going to school. Treat everyone’s children as if they were your own, with kindness & respect. Be a decent human. #JusticeForZohraShah


358
10:52 AM - Jun 3, 2020
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PPP leader Sharmila Faruqi also condemned the incident saying that the "barbarity of this [crime] is sickening".


Sharmila faruqi@sharmilafaruqi


8 year old #zohrashah killed by her employer in Rawalpindi for freeing caged parrots. The barbarity of this is sickening. First you employ an underage child & then murder her in cold blood! May you rot in hell! #JusticeForZohraShah


344
10:39 AM - Jun 3, 2020
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Lol. all of these people are part of the problem. the ruling elite of Pakistan, or the upper middleclass. they are the ones who have an army of servants at their palaces, both young and old. and they themselves belong to a political party that actively supports wadera-shahi system, a system known for cruelty and barbarism.

 

[arjunk]

this guy need to be hanged with in 3 days no more court dramas . if he will go Lahore high court will set him free .

If modi was tried for torture in Pakistan when Inshallah Kashmir will be free, the LHC will give him a bail so he can go to India with altaf

 

[Cliftonite]

Let us all stop child labour. Report child workers wherever you can.

 

[Musings]

A tragic and sad read. The parents of the girl will probably never see justice and an out of court settlement the most likely outcome. Pakistan needs to sort cases of child labour out - the sooner the better.

What i am fascinated about is why is an Indian troll sitting on his computer ruffling through his search engine for any type of bad news in Pakistan then posting it on PDF? Is he so concerned and obsessed with his neighbour that he gets a high rise in his Levis in pointing out same bad happenings in Pakistan?

Does he come from the land of honey and milk and plenty? Does he come from a land where this would never happen?

A person that lives in a society where rape is so common it doesnt make the news, a person that comes from a society where there are more starving kids than the whole of Africa, a person where you will get lynched for being a Muslim or Christian, a person that comes from a nation that simply cant find a toilet to crap in, should not try to throw cheap shots and feel self satisfaction where a child has lost his life?

You pathetic little warrior - a child be it Pakistani or Indian bleeds the same. Grow up and be ashamed of what you are.

 

[Yaseen1]

instead of child labor we should promote freelancing jobs for small kids who want to support their family

 

[bsruzm]

WTF is this? F*ck your expensive parrot...

 

[Syed1.]

So this family values a parrot more than a human life. Filth like this need to be hanged but knowing our justice system either the judge will find them completely innocent or the entire system will force the parents of the poor girl to accept a small payment to drop the case.

 

[Ivan]

Disgusting...we still have places like north india and pakistan in this world....

So only Northern India and entire Pakistan are disgusting places in this world. I love the way you lie, fold it in wrappers and then feed us that we all Pakistanis are disgusting alongwith your only "Northern India." I hope it calms your urge to stereotype and berate Pakistan using derogatory remarks.

 

[Jinn Baba]

Absolute lanat on this couple!!! and lanat on our society where such child slavery is both common and acceptable

 

[waz]

Hang this evil pair in the middle of Pindi till their neck break.
They were 'employing' an 8 year child, it's as low as it can get, but then there were signs of sexual abuse on this poor little child.
Raise hell on social media, contact your local political representatives, contact the police, don't let this one go folks!

 

[VCheng]

Hang this evil pair in the middle of Pindi till their neck break.
They were 'employing' an 8 year child, it's as low as it can get, but then there were signs of sexual abuse on this poor little child.
Raise hell on social media, contact your local political representatives, contact the police, don't let this one go folks!

Tragic as this incident is, it is only a symptom of the disease. Punishing the criminals here is important, but the real solution lies in eliminating all the causes that create child labor in the first place. As long as child labor exists, the problems will continue.

 

[Longhorn]

Tragic as this incident is, it is only a symptom of the disease. Punishing the criminals here is important, but the real solution lies in eliminating all the causes that create child labor in the first place. As long as child labor exists, the problems will continue.

It's also an innate callousness that our people have towards their employees in general.
People have to understand that when you pay someone a wage, you are purchasing their labour and not purchasing a slave.
Abusing employees, especially child employees, is seen as normal and acceptable.