Tayyaba to be shifted to new shelter home

Further decisions will be taken after two months

ISLAMABAD: The top court has directed the Islamabad police to shift ten-year-old Tayyaba from Pakistan Sweet Homes to SOS Children’s villages Pakistan.

Hearing the suo motu case on Tuesday, the three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed that the child would stay at SOS village for two months, after which the court will evaluate if she should be sent to a foster home or in the custody of her parents.



“Without undermining the status of Pakistan Sweet Home, we direct concerned authorities to move Tayyaba from Sweet Home to SOS Children’s villages Pakistan with effect from Monday”, the order said.

During the hearing, the bench observed that Tayyaba’s parents did nothing for her protection. The CJP said that the decision to shift Tayyaba’s case to any other court will be depended on Islamabad High Court’s decision.

The bench has shifted Tayyaba on the request of SOS village Pakistan. Ayesha Hamid appeared on behalf of SOS Village Pakistan before the bench. The hearing of the case is adjourned for one month.



The apex court on March 8 temporarily stopped the trial pertaining to alleged torture of a ten-year-old maid, Tayyaba, and directed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to consider whether the accused — a former additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) Raja Khurram Ali Khan and his wife Maheen Zafar — be tried by a lower court in Islamabad or the IHC itself.

Tayyaba, was rescued from Khan’s residence in Islamabad with visible wounds on December 28. An FIR was registered against the judge and his wife on December 29.

On January 2, Khan reached an agreement with Tayyaba’s parents, on the basis of which his wife secured pre-arrest bail the same day. On January 3, the ADSJ Atta Rabbani handed over the custody of Tayyaba to her parents. However, the SC took suo motu notice of the matter on January 4.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2017.