Family claims employer behind missing daughter

Teenager worked as domestic help at FFC official's residence in Mirpur Mathelo

SUKKUR: Scores of residents of Shaikh village near Masoo Wah staged a protest and sit-in outside the Fauji Fertilizer Company colony in Mirpur Mathelo on Tuesday following reports of a teenage maid going missing from the company's residential colony a day before.

According to reports, 17-year-old Momina, daughter of Kaloo Shaikh, used to work and live as a domestic helper in the house of FFC general manager (security) Colonel (retd) Munawar Zaidi for some time.



The girl reportedly went missing on Sunday and her parents came to know about it when her mother, Haseena, could not get in touch with her and was informed by the housewife that her daughter was not at home.

On Tuesday, a number of villagers, including parents of the missing girl, gathered in front of the main gate of the FFC colony and staged a protest and sit-in.

The protesters were shouting slogans against the FFC management and the maid's employers. In the meantime, a heavy contingent of Mirpur Mathelo police reached the spot and forced the protesting villagers to end their sit-in.



Talking to the media, Kaloo blamed her daughter's employers of being behind her disappearance. He claimed the police had refused to lodge an FIR over the incident.

FFC media manager Colonel (retd) Amin was not available for comments, however his assistant, Shoukat Samejo, told The Express Tribune that the girl used to work at Colonel Zaidi's house. He claimed on Sunday the girl's mother called her and asked her to bring some ice from the colonel's house to the colony's main gate. The girl left to do so but never returned, he alleged.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th,  2016.