Child maid rescued from abusive employers

A disabled domestic worker has been taken into custody by the Rawalpindi Child Protection Bureau (CPB) while a case has been registered against the owners, a spokesperson shared on Sunday.

CPB District Officer (DO) Ali Abid Naqvi mentioned that the 10-year-old Sana Manzur from Sahiwal has a leg disability and was employed by a couple from Rawalpindi who hired her through a private Islamabad-based company.

The bureau was informed by a security guard of the area that he regularly heard screams of a young girl from a house located in Satellite Town Block-B upon which he called the child protection services. The bureau acted on the complaint and raided their residence.

It was learnt that the owners used to assault the minor with sticks and hands. Naqvi said that the owners made her work for almost 15 hours a day. The DO added that the statement of the domestic worker has been recorded while her medical test was also being conducted.

The domestic worker would remain under the protective custody of the CPB, he declared. Bani Police have arrested the couple and registered a case against them.

The police are waiting for the child’s medical reports after which she will be sent back home.

Last year in July, the federal cabinet approved a bill against the employment of children for domestic help across the country. According to the new clause, any child under the age of 14 cannot be employed.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2021.