A Pakistani couple appeared in court Thursday, accused of murdering a 13-year-old maid, Iqra, who was allegedly beaten with a roller for allegedly stolen chocolate. Iqra was rushed to the hospital in Rawalpindi on Tuesday in critical condition and later died of serious injuries.
According to Rawalpindi -Police spokesman Sajjad Ul Hassan, the couple, Rashid Shafiq and his wife Sana, were charged with murder and in custody for four days while conducting an investigation.
The spokesman revealed that the baby had several fractures, including to her legs, arms and head, and that the abuse allegedly was due to a lack of chocolate.
Iqra’s father, Sanaullah, resident of a village in Punjab, revealed that his daughter had worked with the couple for 22 months, during which time they paid him only 8,000 rupees ($ 28) a month. “The animals tortured my daughter in a way that no human could ever do,” he said. “I demand justice for this brutality.”
In a similar case in Rawalpindi by 2020, a couple were arrested for allegedly murdering their seven -year -old maid, who was blamed for having allowed a pet bird to escape.
Child labor remains widespread in Pakistan, where the International Labor Organization (ILO) reports in 2022 that one in every four households employs a child in housework, especially girls aged 10-14.
Although it is illegal to hire children under the age of 15, financial difficulties often force poor families to send their young daughters to work.
