Child abduction: Former MNA, his driver granted bail

Driver admits to shackling child maid in servant quarters, says investigator.

LAHORE:

A judicial magistrate has granted bail to a former MNA and his driver, who are accused of detaining and assaulting three children who worked for them and shackling one of them in their servant quarters.

The magistrate granted bail to ex-MNA Liaqat Abbas Bhatti and his driver Wajid at Rs50,000 each.

Shahida, 15, and Zubaida, 8, and Irfan, 10, were working as servants at the house of the former MNA, according to the FIR registered on the complaint of Muhammad Ashiq, the father of the children, under Sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code at Johar Town police station.

Wajid allegedly thrashed Shahida and then Irfan when he tried to protect his sister. Wajid later allegedly shackled Shahida to the floor while Irfan and Zubaida were detained in separate rooms. On August 30, police conducted a raid and found Shahida in shackles. They released the three child workers and arrested Bhatti and Wajid.

Investigation Officer Muhammad Imtiaz produced the two accused before the magistrate on Saturday asking that they be sent on judicial remand. The magistrate did so and confirmed their bails.

Imtiaz told The Express Tribune that Wajid had told the police that he had shackled Shahida in order to stop her from meeting her boyfriend. He claimed she had been having an affair with a Christian boy and he wanted to stop it. He said that after tying her up and detaining the others, he had informed their parents of the situation.

The investigation officer said that the three children were currently very afraid and were not in a position to record their statements. He said he would get their statements once they were feeling better.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2013.