Child protection: Employer arrested for child’s maid torture

LAHORE:

Johar Town police on Thursday arrested a man after his wife was accused of torturing a 12-year-old maid. Police said they were unable to arrest the woman because the raiding team did not include a policewoman.

The child servant told The Express Tribune the woman had beaten her on Wednesday after her son complained that she had snatched a book from him. “She beat me with steel hangers. I am hurting all over my body,” she said.

TV footage showed her speaking to the media with swollen eyes. She said she had come to work in Lahore from a village in Sargodha six months ago and was paid Rs5,000 a month. She said she had seven sisters and two brothers. The Child Protection Bureau has taken the girl into its custody.

News of the incident sparked outrage across the country, especially in Punjab. People took to their Twitter accounts to comment on the incident and expressed their concerns.

Tks ChildProtectionBureau 4 recovering the maid. Shameless people shud b hanged for hitting the lil girl mercilessly. #Lahore #BanChildLabor

— Marium (@MariumIsmail1) February 19, 2015

12 year old maid brutalised in Lahore by Public servant. They know Model Town killers are still at large. Criminals r safe, not the people!

— Babar Awan (@BabarAwanPK) February 19, 2015

Separately, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the TV reports and sought a report from police in this regard.  He ordered that the girl be provided proper medical care.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2015.