A 13-year-old domestic worker in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, allegedly lost her life at the hands of her employers because of claims of stealing chocolates.
The girl passed away from severe injuries last Wednesday, with initial police investigations indicating that she had suffered extreme abuse prior to her death, according to BBC.
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Her employers, Rashid Shafiq and his wife Sana, along with a Quran teacher from their household, have been arrested. The teacher had taken the girl to the hospital, falsely asserting that her father had died and her mother was absent. The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with the hashtag #JusticeforIqra receiving significant attention. It has reignited conversations about child labor and the mistreatment of domestic workers in Pakistan.
Child labor laws vary across the nation, but in Punjab, children younger than 15 are prohibited from working as domestic helpers.
“I felt completely shattered inside when she passed away,” Iqra’s father, Sana Ullah, was quoted as saying.
Sana Ullah received a notification from the police on Wednesday, and when he arrived at the hospital, he found his daughter unconscious in a bed. She died shortly afterward.
Iqra began her employment as a domestic helper at the age of eight. Her father, a 45-year-old farmer, detailed that he had no alternative but to send her to work due to financial hardships. After working for several employers, she was hired two years ago by a couple with eight children, earning approximately $28 each month.
Police reports indicated that Iqra was accused by her employers of stealing chocolates. Preliminary inquiries suggest that she faced considerable mistreatment. Authorities have also uncovered evidence of ongoing abuse. Photos and videos provided to BBC revealed multiple fractures in her arms and legs, alongside a serious head injury.
An autopsy is presently being conducted to ascertain the complete extent of her injuries, with the police 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 posted on X. “How long will the poor continue to lower their daughters into graves in this manner? ”
