Couple arrested for 'torturing' child maid

A nine-year-old domestic worker was allegedly tortured by her husband and wife in the Gulshan Sehat area of Taxila police station in Rawalpindi.

The girl was beaten up for opening the fridge to drink water. After enduring months of daily violence, the girl went to the neighbouring house for shelter at night. The neighbour, seeing the girl's condition and hearing about the incidents, called the police. CPO Syed Khalid Hamdani took notice of the incident. Both husband and wife were arrested.

On the girl's complaint, the people in the neighbourhood tried to help her by calling the Child Protection Bureau's helpline, however, the staff there kept urging them to approach the police.

The victim had been working in couple's house for a year. The couple were reported to have been running a private clinic. Fed up with the violence, the girl complained to their neighbours. Following which they informed the police and the Child Protection Bureau. Video statements of the victim girl have also come to light in which she is heard saying that she was being beaten by her employer and was tortured just a day before as well.

The residents of the area said that when they called the Child Protection Bureau, its staff asked them to call again, indicating that they would approach the police, but despite calling them repeatedly, no one was sent from there. The police responded by arriving at the accused's house and arresting the couple.

CPO Syed Khalid Hamdani has sought a report from the Potohar SP and said that violence against innocent children cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. On the statement of Iftikhar Khattak, a resident of the area, the police have registered a case against the couple, who are said to be doctors, under sections 328A and 354 of the IPC for violence against children. The man, Muhammad Waseem, and his wife, Mismatah Sana, have been arrested. Police officials said that the victim girl will be handed over to the Child Protection Department.