Sindh

14-year-old domestic worker rescued after being beaten, starved and chained

Employer claims she shackled him to prevent him from stealing.

Mahnoor Sherazee December 08, 2010

KARACHI: In one of the most horrifying child labour cases to come forth this year, a 14-year-old beaten, shackled and bruised Zafar was rescued by the Darakhshan police from a flat in Bukhari Commercial area on Tuesday.

It brought to an end two years of suffering for the boy, whose employers — identified as Sobia and Mohammad Ali — had not even paid him the nominal monthly salary of Rs2,000 after the first five months.

According to the teenager, Sobia had chained him up and left on Friday. “I started screaming and the neighbours heard me and called the police for help,” he said.

“They knew where my family was but they wouldn’t let me see them,” Zafar told the police. “They kept me locked and used to needlessly beat me.” According to Supervising Police Officer Darakshan Zameer Abbasi, Sobia claims that Zafar used to regularly steal from her, the last incident being of two bangles about a week ago. When the police spoke to him, Zafar admitted to the theft but says that he returned the stolen jewellery.

For her part, Sobia says that as her husband was out of town and since she didn’t want Zafar to steal again, she temporarily chained him up. Zafar claims, however, that this is not the first time he has been chained and starved, said Abbasi, adding that he was kept in that state for nearly two days.

Case investigator SI Shafqat Mirza pointed out, however, that even if Zafar had stolen, as he never left the house, the belongings would have been inside anyway. He believes that Zafar stole out of frustration of not being able to meet his family. Mirza also said that during questioning it surfaced that the couple had forced Zafar to shoplift. The investigation continues.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Zafar’s mother Parveen sobbed over her son’s fate. “We sent him to work because we are very poor and after five months they [the employers] stopped paying him and told us not to come to the house to collect money or see him.”

Right before Ramazan, they had told the family that he had stolen a gold chain and if they wanted to take him away they needed to pay Rs100,000. “We cannot afford such a large amount so we had no choice but to temporarily leave him there,” she said.

Zafar is the third of seven children to parents Parveen and Mohammad Yaseen, residents of Jinnah Colony, Liaquat Square, Malir City. Now the family just wants to take him home and for him to be paid his salary dues of Rs8,000.

Sobia was arrested and later moved to the Women Police Station.

On Tuesday, she was presented before a court where she was released on bail.

Her husband is being reported missing by the police but is believed to be in Islamabad. The Express Tribune made several attempts to contact the couple for their version but they were unavailable for comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (8)

Urooj Saifi | 13 years ago | Reply It's about time the Messiah comes back and this time to Pakistan as we need him here more than anywhere else in the world.

User | 13 years ago | Reply This has reference to the Violence against child domestic labour that has been remained pervasive during the year. Since January 2010 to date, six girls’ child domestic workers had been killed by employers in different parts of the Punjab province. Unfortunately, all of offenders have been set free without having punishment. “Keeping in view Human Rights Day Being celebrated in Pakistan on December, 10, we strongly demand government to respect the international standards set- forth for the human right promotion in the country. Pakstan being the signatory of ILO’s convention 182 on worst form of child labour, is obligated to protect children from hazardous work through legislative cover. But, unfortunately, despite having hazardous, child domestic labour has not been included in the banned list under Employment of Children Act 1991. Therefore, realizing the need of protection of the rights of children, government must show willingness to eliminate child domestic labour through declaring the occupation prohibited under ECA.” Salam Dharejo, National Manager, Child Labour SPARC, Karachi

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Pakistani | 13 years ago | Reply so you dont pay him and expect him to be an honest slave

Usman | 13 years ago | Reply These people, the lahore lawyer, sialkot lynchers have been set free and are at large. but the poor woman Aasia bibi is not even eligible for bail. Soon we will turn into complete cannibals.

Saadia Ch | 13 years ago | Reply I agree to the first comment that if the couple knew Zafar had been stealing, they should have to police but they did not , so this accusation proves invalid. Secondly, even if any such incident actually occurred, they had no right to treat the child brutally. The lawyer accused in Shazia Masih case earlier this year was acquitted some time back, now this couple has found its way outside the bars in spite of the fact that they had inflicted brutal torture on Zafar. Tribune has done a good job by pursuing this greedy and wicked couple. I condemn the whole incident and raise my voice to give strict punishment to them. I think Pakistani law should be revised and all loopholes that provide ease of escape to the accused should be closed.

Arshad Mahmood | 13 years ago | Reply Another sad story of child domestic labour confiriming that child domestic labour is one of the worst forms of child labour. The child was in slave like situation for the last two years with no remedy. There is no legislation about child domestic labour in Pakistan despite repeated demands by the civil society for putting child domestic labour under the schedule of banned occupations of the Employment of Children Act 1991. This year child domestic labour has proved to the most henious form of child labour as so far seven children have been reported to be trotured to death across the country since January when the case of Shazia Masih was highlighted by media. Why is the government reluctant to ban child domestic labour? I know that it wouldn't be possible to implement the clause through policing or labour inspection but at least it could be used as a deterent as most of the children are employed by well to do and educated people. We need to join hands against this blantant violation children's rights and put pressure on the government to ban child domestic labour on priority basis.

Maz | 13 years ago | Reply People fear God ALmighty before commiting such acts,my heart still bleeds as there is no justice in Pkaistan.Still the sialkot lynching people are not brought to justice,is this is the Pakistan Quaide Azam wanted!!!!

MAD | 13 years ago | Reply Sad but one question does arise here. Why didnt the couple go to the police first when they claimed the boy stole instead of branding out justice in their own form and why didnt the boy's family attempt to do the same. are the police that inept? (well in all honesty they are). In the end it was the neighbours who found the boy and called the police. what happenned is unforgivable and the couple should be punished for their actions but there are a few holes in this story that should be filled.

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