A couple has been arrested after they physically abused and killed their eight-year-old servant in cold blood. Rawat Police arrested the couple following the violent death of 8-year-old Zohra Shah.
Police arrested the Bahria Town residents, Hassan Siddiqui and his wife, following the girl’s death. Reports state that the two are being kept at the Rawat Police station.
The incident took place in Bahria Town Phase VIII. BBC Urdu reports that Rawat police sub-inspector Muhammad Mukhtar got the call to arrest the culprits from the security in-charge of Begum Akhtar Memorial Hospital in Bahria Town. He made the call to police that an eight-year-old girl had been brought into the hospital semi-unconscious, on the night of May 31st.
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Zohra Shah was put on a ventilator in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) when the police arrived. Police registered an FIR under on May 31st. However, the eight-year-old succumbed to her injuries on the morning of June 1st.
According to police, Hassan Siddiqui brought the child to the hospital and left her there. The security in-charge of the Begum Akhtar Memorial Hospital identified Hassan Siddiqui as the one having brought in Zohra Shah.
What was her ‘crime’?
Police revealed Zohra was brutally beaten by Hassan for accidentally freeing two expensive parrots in their house.
“According to the accused, while cleaning, the girl accidentally blew two valuable parrots out of the cage in her house. After which Hassan Siddiqui and his wife got angry and severely tortured the girl.”
An investigation is still underway. However, this brutality wasn’t the first instance of violence against the girl.
“There were marks of torture on the body of the girl. The girl had bruises on her cheeks, ribs, thighs and ankles. In addition, many old wounds were still healing.”
Zohra Shah had been beaten before as old wounds were healing and police even suspect sexual abuse.
“Wounds on the girl’s body, especially her thighs, were being treated in the hospital’s ICU. According to the doctor, she had been allegedly sexually abused. Samples were sent to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency for confirmation.”
Police filed an FIR with charges of attempted murder, rape and premeditated murder against Hassan Siddiqui and his wife.
How Did Zohra Shah End up Here?
Sub-Inspector Mukhtar revealed Zohra Shah hailed from Muzaffargarh and her uncle Naeem Shah referred her for employment as a maid at the house of accused Hassan Siddiqui.
One way One solution
Gun solution Gun Solution ..
Shoot or Hang this man infront of public …#JusticeForZohraShah pic.twitter.com/j5DyVDCrLe— Wajahat Hussain (@BangashWaji) June 3, 2020
The couple employed the eight-year-old to look after their five-month-old baby. Sub-Inspector Mukhtar said Naeem Shah was told that the couple had stated Zohra would be educated and raised well in exchange for employment.
The relatives were also wrongly told that the child was paid Rs 3,000 per month.
Public Outcry
Despite child labor being declared illegal in Pakistan, the practice remains common. Given their young age and lack of understanding of laws and rights, child laborers are regularly exploited.
As news of this brutal and violent murder got out Pakistani Twitter began demanding #JusticeforZohraShah.
https://twitter.com/zeeshi_zealous/status/1268063422710759426
https://twitter.com/AhmeedKe/status/1268062401737494529
Imagine how much pain that lill child must have felt before dying, imagine how much of beating he gave her that she died. #Justimagine #JusticeForZohraShah pic.twitter.com/a00DNNNRb4
— Murad Hassan (@Murad_me_u) June 3, 2020
Netizens demanded that the Minister of Human Rights, Dr. Shireen Mazari take action.
Time to act miss @ShireenMazari1. Ban #ChildLabor#HumanityIsDead#JusticeForZohraShah pic.twitter.com/ydnMLzXVfI
— 𝑀𝑜𝒽𝓈𝒾𝓃 𝑀𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓀 (@IMohsinMalix) June 3, 2020
Where you can not beat your servant, how did you just murder them? And just because of releasing parrots?
This is no new case but for once @ShireenMazari1 needs to take a strict action so this never happens again.. #JusticeForZohraShah
— AK (@AneeqaAk) June 3, 2020
Even public figures chimed in.
Will be taking it up. It has to stop #JusticeForZohraShah https://t.co/0n8RhDhW5N
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) June 3, 2020
Now it’s your turn to be the one in the bloody cage! #JusticeForZohraShah #StopChildLabour #ProtectOurChildren
— Shaniera Akram (@iamShaniera) June 3, 2020
As an investigation is still underway and the accused Hassan Siddiqui will be tried in court, many are skeptical there would be a conviction.
https://twitter.com/Sameer86918667/status/1268057688442916865
What the fuck.
We are sick of using this hashtag over and over again.
No one is taking action and these incidents are happening on regular basic just because we have a poor prosecution.
Police is not qualified to prove the case in the court. #JusticeForZohraShah
@ashwahab— M Sufian Sukhera (@SufianSukhera) June 3, 2020
This isn’t the first instance of brutality that went unpunished. These cases often end in settlement. In the case of Tayyaba murder case a district judge and his wife were sentenced only when then Chief Justice of Pakistan, Saqib Nisar took suo motu notice.
Often seen that Poor parents take advance money and then child is treated as a slave. Very tragic. But beating to death is really un acceptable and inhuman.