'Died for stealing chocolate': Pakistan anger over death of child maid
A couple in north-east Pakistan has been detained for allegedly murdering a 13-year-old girl who worked for them as a maid, for allegedly stealing chocolates.The girl who goes only by one name, Iqra, succumbed to multiple injuries at the hospital last Wednesday. A preliminary police investigation said she had been tortured.The case in Rawalpindi has sparked widespread outrage and posts with the hashtag #JusticeforIqra garnering tens of thousands of views, and reigniting debate over child labour and the mistreatment of domestic workers.Laws pertaining to child labour can vary across the country, but children under the age of 15 cannot be employed as domestic workers in the province of Punjab.
"I felt completely shattered inside when she died," Iqra's father, Sana Ullah, told the BBC.He said that he had received a call from the police about Iqra last Wednesday. When he rushed to the hospital, he saw Iqra lying on a bed, unconscious. She passed away minutes later.Iqra began working as a maid from the age of eight. Her father, a 45-year-old farmer, said he had sent her to work because he was in debt.After working for a few employers, she went to work for the couple two years ago, who have eight children of their own. She was earning about £23 ($28) per month.Police said Iqra had been accused of stealing chocolates from her employers, adding that a preliminary investigation showed that Iqra had been tortured.Police also say there was evidence of frequent abuse. Pictures and videos obtained by the BBC showed multiple fractures in her legs and arms, as well as a serious injury to her head.An autopsy is being conducted to assess the full extent of her injuries, and the police has told the BBC that they were still awaiting the final medical report."My heart cries tears of blood. How many... are subjected to violence in their homes every day for a trivial job of a few thousand?" activist Shehr Bano wrote on X. "How long will the poor continue to lower their daughters into graves in this way?"Others have pointed out that her murder was allegedly triggered by something so minor."She died over chocolate?" asked one Pakistani user on X."This is not just a crime, it's a reflection of [a] system that enables [the] rich to treat [the] poor as disposable," another said. Iqra's employers, Rashid Shafiq and his wife Sana, have been arrested, along with a Quran teacher, who worked for the family. The teacher had brought Iqra to the hospital and left after telling hospital staff that the girl's father had died and her mother was not around. Police told the BBC it was unclear if she believed this to be the truth.Iqra's father says he wants to see "those responsible for my daughter's death punished". Despite the public outrage such cases usually garner, they are typically settled out of court and it's rare for suspects to be successfully prosecuted.
In 2018, a judge and his wife were sentenced to three years in jail for torturing their then 10-year-old maid in what had been a highly publicised case that sparked outrage across the country. But they later had their sentences reduced to one year.Tayyaba was found with severe injuries, which the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science said included burns to her hands and feet. Pictures of the girl also showed cuts and bruising to her face, along with a swollen left eye. She told prosecutors she was beaten for losing a broom.Under Pakistani law, victims or their families have the right to forgive suspects in a number of serious crimes. To do so, they have to state in court that they forgive a suspect "in the name of God".In reality, legal observers say that the primary motive for that "forgiveness" is normally financial, and paying victims is not illegal.About 3.3 million children in Pakistan are engaged in child labour, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef). Moreover, women and young girls make up a vast majority of Pakistan's 8.5 million domestic workers, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
20 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
King Charles and Queen Camilla issue message after tragic shooting
The King and Queen have shared an emotional statement to the victims and families affected by the school shooting in Austria that has claimed the lives of 11 people King Charles and Queen Camilla have issued a personal message to those affected by the school shooting in Austria that has claimed the lives of 11 people. On Tuesday, the Dreierschützengasse secondary school in the town of Graz was targeted by a gunman, believed to be a 21-year-old former student who did not finish their education. Nine people died during the active shooting in the school, with six females and three males - including the alleged shooter - confirmed by police to be among the victims. In the aftermath of the tragedy, two more victims sadly died in hospital from their wounds, bringing the death toll to 11. Dozens of other students and teachers were also injured during the attack. As a message of support, King Charles issued a statement today to say he and Camilla were 'deeply shocked and saddened' to hear about the horrific situation, and offered their thoughts and prayers to those affected. The statement read: "My wife and I were deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the appallingly tragic events at the Dreierschűtzengasse school in Graz. Schools should be places of sanctuary and learning, which makes this horrific attack on students and staff all the more dreadful.' 'Our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the families of all those affected by this terrible loss of life and injury. We send our deepest sympathy to all Austrians at this profoundly distressing time." The statement was posted on X by the official royal family account, with the post receiving a flood of comments, praising the monarch's support for their friends and allies in Austria. At the time of the attack, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker called the mass shooting "a dark day in the history of our country" and announced three days of state mourning for the nation. As an investigation into the shooting continues, a spokesperson for the Austrian police said the suspect was an Austrian national who owned the weapons legally, and was not known to police before the attack. Since the attack, devastated locals in Graz have pulled together for their community, with murals and huge flower tributes lining the grounds of the Dreierschützengasse school, while other residents rushed to donate blood to help those in hospital recovering from their injuries sustained during the shooting. Videos of the moment the gunman started his attack have been shared online, with neighbours of the school also confirming they heard gunshots and screaming coming from the school grounds, before students began trying to flee the premises. According to the BBC, the shooting could be the deadliest attack in Austria's history since World War II.
South Wales Argus
2 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Three nights of disorder ‘not what Northern Ireland is about'
Hilary Benn described scenes as 'shocking' after Wednesday saw a third consecutive night of disorder in Ballymena, with petrol bombs, a hatchet and masonry among items thrown at police. Officers responded with water cannon, dogs and plastic baton rounds in an attempt to disperse crowds in the Co Antrim town. Firefighters outside Larne Leisure Centre following a fire and vandalism at the facility (Liam McBurney/PA) Unrest spread to other towns on Wednesday, including Coleraine and Larne – where the leisure centre was set on fire by masked vandals who also smashed windows. Mr Benn said there is 'absolutely no justification for civil disorder'. He told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme: 'This not what Northern Ireland is about, this is not what we want the rest of the world to see. 'We all, as elected representatives, have a responsibility to seek to calm things down, to support those in the community trying to keep people safe, principally the PSNI, to work with community leaders to lower tensions. A PSNI vehicle near debris on fire during a third night of disorder in Ballymena, Co Antrim (Liam McBurney/PA) 'Whatever views people hold, there is no justification for trying to burn people out of their homes, that is what is going on, and that is what needs to stop because it is shocking and damaging, and it reflects very badly of the image of Northern Ireland that we all want to send to the rest of the world.' Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long said it has been a 'three-day festival of hate and destruction' which needs to stop before someone loses their life. She said she will be seeking additional funding for the PSNI in the June Monitoring Round. She also commended the PSNI for seeking support through a mutual aid request for additional officers from Great Britain. 'This is not just a few days of violence, this has been wanton destruction on a huge scale, and any police service in these islands who are dealing with this kind of pressure, dealing with the number of officers, now close to 50, who have been injured in the last few days, would clearly be feeling the challenge and the strain,' she told the BBC. Wednesday marked the third night of violence in Ballymena (Jonathan McCambridge/PA) The leisure centre had temporarily been used as an emergency shelter for those in urgent need following disturbances in Ballymena earlier in the week. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, who highlighted the use of the building in a social media post, said all those who had been staying at the leisure centre are in the care of the Housing Executive and have been moved out of Larne. SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole, the leader of the opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said he would refer Mr Lyons to the standards commission following the fire. Several arrests have been made and dozens of police officers have been injured during the sustained unrest in Ballymena, which also saw multiple properties and vehicles set on fire. Tense scenes as police hold the line close to Clonavon Terrace in Ballymena @PA — Jonny McCambridge (@McCambridgeJ) June 11, 2025 In the town on Wednesday, the PSNI deployed riot police for a third night in a row as hundreds gathered around the Clonavon Terrace area. At least one protester was struck by plastic baton rounds fired by police while officers also used a water cannon on the crowd. Officers used dog units and drones in their response to the gathering. Riot police with shields advanced on the crowd to disperse them down Bridge Street on to other roadways. PSNI vehicles formed a barricade outside The Braid, Ballymena Town Hall Museum and Arts Centre (Liam McBurney/PA) They came under sustained attack as those participating in disorder hurled petrol bombs, masonry and fireworks at police vehicles and officers standing nearby. Rioters smashed the windows of a house on North Street and set multiple fires on streets in the surrounding area. The disorder and stand-off with police continued past midnight. The PSNI have also noted scenes of disorder in Belfast, Lisburn, Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey earlier in the week, as businesses, homes and cars were attacked and damaged. By Wednesday, six individuals had been arrested for public order offences, and one charged. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he 'utterly condemns' violence which left 32 police officers injured after the second night of disturbances. Northern Ireland deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, right, met residents on Clonavon Terrace on Tuesday (Niall Carson/PA) PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has warned the rioting 'risks undermining' the criminal justice process into an allegation of a sex attack on a teenage girl in Ballymena at the weekend. Stormont ministers have also made an urgent appeal for calm and said the justice process had to be allowed to take its course. First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly appeared together on Wednesday to voice their condemnation. Sinn Fein vice-president Ms O'Neill told reporters in Belfast: 'It's pure racism, there is no other way to dress it up.' Ms Little-Pengelly described the scenes in Ballymena as 'unacceptable thuggery'. Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly speak to media at the Ulster Hall in Belfast on Wednesday (David Young/PA) With the protests focused in predominantly loyalist areas in Ballymena, Ms O'Neill said she did not believe it would be helpful for her to visit in the current context. DUP MLA Ms Little-Pengelly met residents in the town on Wednesday and said the local community are in fear and wanted the violence to stop. 'The key message here today is around that violence, and that the violence needs to stop, that's what the community wants to put across, and that's why I'm here to send that very clear and united message from right throughout the community and local residents for that to stop,' she said. The violence began around Clonavon Terrace on Monday night following an earlier peaceful protest which was organised in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in the area. Two teenage boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged.
North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Three nights of disorder ‘not what Northern Ireland is about'
Hilary Benn described scenes as 'shocking' after Wednesday saw a third consecutive night of disorder in Ballymena, with petrol bombs, a hatchet and masonry among items thrown at police. Officers responded with water cannon, dogs and plastic baton rounds in an attempt to disperse crowds in the Co Antrim town. Unrest spread to other towns on Wednesday, including Coleraine and Larne – where the leisure centre was set on fire by masked vandals who also smashed windows. Mr Benn said there is 'absolutely no justification for civil disorder'. He told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme: 'This not what Northern Ireland is about, this is not what we want the rest of the world to see. 'We all, as elected representatives, have a responsibility to seek to calm things down, to support those in the community trying to keep people safe, principally the PSNI, to work with community leaders to lower tensions. 'Whatever views people hold, there is no justification for trying to burn people out of their homes, that is what is going on, and that is what needs to stop because it is shocking and damaging, and it reflects very badly of the image of Northern Ireland that we all want to send to the rest of the world.' Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long said it has been a 'three-day festival of hate and destruction' which needs to stop before someone loses their life. She said she will be seeking additional funding for the PSNI in the June Monitoring Round. She also commended the PSNI for seeking support through a mutual aid request for additional officers from Great Britain. 'This is not just a few days of violence, this has been wanton destruction on a huge scale, and any police service in these islands who are dealing with this kind of pressure, dealing with the number of officers, now close to 50, who have been injured in the last few days, would clearly be feeling the challenge and the strain,' she told the BBC. The leisure centre had temporarily been used as an emergency shelter for those in urgent need following disturbances in Ballymena earlier in the week. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, who highlighted the use of the building in a social media post, said all those who had been staying at the leisure centre are in the care of the Housing Executive and have been moved out of Larne. SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole, the leader of the opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said he would refer Mr Lyons to the standards commission following the fire. Several arrests have been made and dozens of police officers have been injured during the sustained unrest in Ballymena, which also saw multiple properties and vehicles set on fire. Tense scenes as police hold the line close to Clonavon Terrace in Ballymena @PA — Jonny McCambridge (@McCambridgeJ) June 11, 2025 In the town on Wednesday, the PSNI deployed riot police for a third night in a row as hundreds gathered around the Clonavon Terrace area. At least one protester was struck by plastic baton rounds fired by police while officers also used a water cannon on the crowd. Officers used dog units and drones in their response to the gathering. Riot police with shields advanced on the crowd to disperse them down Bridge Street on to other roadways. They came under sustained attack as those participating in disorder hurled petrol bombs, masonry and fireworks at police vehicles and officers standing nearby. Rioters smashed the windows of a house on North Street and set multiple fires on streets in the surrounding area. The disorder and stand-off with police continued past midnight. The PSNI have also noted scenes of disorder in Belfast, Lisburn, Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey earlier in the week, as businesses, homes and cars were attacked and damaged. By Wednesday, six individuals had been arrested for public order offences, and one charged. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he 'utterly condemns' violence which left 32 police officers injured after the second night of disturbances. PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has warned the rioting 'risks undermining' the criminal justice process into an allegation of a sex attack on a teenage girl in Ballymena at the weekend. Stormont ministers have also made an urgent appeal for calm and said the justice process had to be allowed to take its course. First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly appeared together on Wednesday to voice their condemnation. Sinn Fein vice-president Ms O'Neill told reporters in Belfast: 'It's pure racism, there is no other way to dress it up.' Ms Little-Pengelly described the scenes in Ballymena as 'unacceptable thuggery'. With the protests focused in predominantly loyalist areas in Ballymena, Ms O'Neill said she did not believe it would be helpful for her to visit in the current context. DUP MLA Ms Little-Pengelly met residents in the town on Wednesday and said the local community are in fear and wanted the violence to stop. 'The key message here today is around that violence, and that the violence needs to stop, that's what the community wants to put across, and that's why I'm here to send that very clear and united message from right throughout the community and local residents for that to stop,' she said. The violence began around Clonavon Terrace on Monday night following an earlier peaceful protest which was organised in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in the area. Two teenage boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged.
