Pindi couple charged with 13-year-old maid's murder over alleged theft

Maid Iqra, who was allegedly beaten with a rolling pin for stealing chocolate, died from severe injuries.

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A Pakistani couple appeared in court on Thursday, accused of murdering a 13-year-old maid, Iqra, who was allegedly beaten with a rolling pin for allegedly stealing chocolate. Iqra was rushed to the hospital in Rawalpindi on Tuesday in critical condition and later died from severe injuries.

According to Rawalpindi police spokesperson Sajjad ul Hassan, the couple, Rashid Shafiq and his wife Sana, were charged with murder and remanded in custody for four days while an investigation is conducted.

The spokesperson revealed that the child had multiple fractures, including to her legs, arms, and head, and that the abuse was allegedly due to a missing chocolate.

Iqra's father, Sanaullah, a resident of a rural village in Punjab, revealed that his daughter had been working with the couple for 22 months, during which time they paid him just 8,000 rupees ($28) a month. "The beasts tortured my daughter in a way that no human could ever do," he said. "I demand justice for this brutality."

In a similar case in Rawalpindi in 2020, a couple was arrested for allegedly murdering their seven-year-old maid, who was blamed for allowing a pet bird to escape.

Child labour remains widespread in Pakistan, with the International Labour Organization (ILO) reporting in 2022 that one in every four households employs a child in domestic work, particularly girls aged 10-14.

While it is illegal to employ children under the age of 15, economic hardship often forces impoverished families to send their young daughters to work.