Domestic child workers: Protesters seek justice for victims

Three chained-children were rescued recently from former minister’s home in Lahore.

ISLAMABAD:

To capture the attention of the federal and Punjab governments, human rights activists staged a protest demonstration against a former federal minister accused of illegally detaining and physically torturing children working at his residence in Lahore.

The Child Rights Movement (CRM) gathered a group of activists outside the National Press Club to raise awareness over the actions of PML-Q politician Liaqat Bhatti, who tortured three of his child domestic workers — Shahida, Zubaida and seven-year-old Irfan — after their father allegedly failed to pay back a loan he had taken from Bhatti. The children were kept in chains at Bhatti’s driver’s quarters and became victims of domestic physical abuse.

Holding placards and chanting slogans opposing violence against children, protesters called for protection of children and severe punishment for those involved in domestic violence.

CRM Coordinator Habiba Salman said she was saddened to see that the police did not pay attention to the relevant legal clauses involving domestic abuse and did not insert those clauses in the FIR registered against Bhatti. She said thousands of children become victims of sexual abuse in the country, but they do not receive justice. Bhatti was released on bail last month after Shahida withdrew an application stating they were illegally confined by the politician.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, lawyer Saba Saleem said that legislation regarding such crimes was weak in Pakistan. “Such incidents of child labour and violence reflect negligence of authorities,” she said.

According to a press statement issued by CRM, around 3,788 cases of child sexual abuse were reported in newspapers last year. The protesters were also demanding a ban on child domestic labour throughout the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2013.