Sundar Police on Monday produced a girl before the local court after she was recovered from the house of renowned TV anchor Gharida Farooqi, where she was kept in illegal detention and was tortured.
According to documents, available with Pakistan Today, citizen Muhammad Munir – a resident of District Nankana Sahib and father of the girl – had moved the court of Additional Sessions Judge, Muhammad Hafiq and stated that his 15-year-old daughter Sonia was working in the house of TV anchor Gharida Farooqi, where she was torturing her and keeping her in illegal custody. The court was requested to direct the police to recover the girl from the illegal custody of the anchor person and produce her in the court.
He prayed that his daughter’s life was in danger. If she was not recovered, she would suffer an irreparable loss and injury, the petitioner claimed. He requested the court to order police to have his daughter released from the illegal detention. If she was not recovered, she would suffer irreparable loss and injury, the petitioner claimed. He requested the court to order police to have his daughter released from the illegal detention.
He stated that along with local police, he went to see her on July 12 at her employer’s residence but the respondent did not allow him to meet his daughter. He alleged that the police also illegally detained him at the police station for two days. The petitioner said that he had sent his daughter to work as a maid at the anchor’s residence in return for Rs 8000 per month. He urged the court to order recovery of the girl. Upon his request, the court ordered the recovery of the girl from anchor’s house located in Bahria Town and sent her with her parents.
The number of incidents of torture of child maids (4 to 16 years old) maids, has increased up to 62.2 per cent in 2016 as compared to 2015, according to the statistics gained from the government-run organisation for the protection of children rights, the Child Protection Bureau (CPB). About 28 cases of physical abuse on house maids were reported in the year 2015 which increased to 45 in 2016. Recently, a case of violence against house maids was reported in the jurisdiction of Akbari gate police station.
Akhtar, 16-year- old boy and his 14-year-old sister, Atia, were brutally tortured by their influential owner Fozia, the daughter of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s, Member Provincial Assembly (MPA). Later, Akhtar, due to lack of proper medication, succumbed to his injuries and a murder case was registered against Fozia. Fozia is reportedly still at large and police are still clueless about her.
Akhtar, 16-year- old boy and his 14-year-old sister, Atia, were brutally tortured by their influential owner Fozia, the daughter of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s, Member Provincial Assembly (MPA). Later, Akhtar, due to lack of proper medication, succumbed to his injuries and a murder case was registered against Fozia. Fozia is reportedly still at large and police are still clueless about her.
Later, Akhtar due to lack of proper medication, succumbed to his injuries and a murder case was registered against Fozia. Fozia is reportedly still at large and police are still clueless about her. Meanwhile, a video has surfaced on social media in which the mother of the tortured girl and Gharida Farooqi are talking to each other. In the video, Gharida Farooqi is warning the mother of the girl to flee away. In reply to Gharida’s warning, the mother of the girl says that you have tortured my daughter, you must allow me to meet her.
In the video, the anchor further said, “You have no proof that I have tortured the girl. Go to any hospital and bring proofs. You are telling a lie and I will tell what will be your punishment for telling a lie. I have spent Rs 40,000 on the girl. Return my money and you may then take the girl.” Child Protection Bureau Chairperson Saba Sadiq claimed that whenever they get any information about abuse of children at homes, they reach the victim and first try to provide him or her medical aid, psychological help and then the legal aid.
“The CPB in Lahore alone has registered 11 cases of torture on minor maids, of which nine cases are still under trial while the challans of two remaining cases have been sent to court for further proceedings,” she added. According to her, the CPB lodged 23 cases in 2015 and 21 cases in 2016 respectively.
