A couple in Rawalpindi has been arrested on suspicion of torturing and murdering a 13-year-old maid, Iqra, who was accused of stealing chocolates. The case has sparked nationwide outrage. The hashtag #JusticeforIqra is trending on social media, reigniting debates about child labour and domestic worker abuse.
Iqra had worked as a maid since she was eight. She was taken to a hospital last Wednesday with severe injuries and died shortly after. Her father, a struggling farmer, said he had sent her to work due to financial hardship. She had been employed by the couple for two years, who have eight children, earning around PKR 7,000 per month.
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A preliminary police investigation revealed that Iqra had suffered multiple fractures in her legs and arms, as well as a serious head injury, indicating frequent abuse. Authorities are still awaiting the final autopsy report to determine the full extent of her injuries. The couple, Rashid Shafiq and his wife Sana, have been detained. A Quran teacher, who took Iqra to the hospital and left after falsely claiming her parents were dead, is also in custody.
This incident has drawn comparisons to previous cases of abuse against child domestic workers. Despite widespread public outrage, many such cases in Pakistan end in out-of-court settlements. Legal loopholes in our system allow suspects to be forgiven in exchange for financial compensation.
With an estimated 3.3 million children engaged in labour across the country and millions of women and girls working as domestic workers, activists are once again calling for stronger protections and justice for victims like Iqra. Her father insists that those responsible for her death must be punished.
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