Doctor terms text 48 hours ‘critical’ for tortured domestic help

In view of the deteriorating health condition of the teenage domestic help who was reportedly severely tortured by a civil judge’s wife in Islamabad, a doctor — who was treating the victim — termed the next 48 hours “critical” for her life.

Professor Dr Alfred Zafar made these remarks during a meeting with her parents. It is pertinent to mention here that the health of the 14-year-old domestic help unexpectedly turned worsened at the hospital in the early hours of Sunday.

The child was undergoing treatment at the Lahore General Hospital for the past six days. Her parents feared that she may also have been poisoned.

The case came to light on July 25 when the victim was shifted to a hospital in Lahore with serious injuries. Taking swift action on the reports, the police filed a case against the wife of the civil judge for the alleged brutal torture of the 14-year-old girl, employed as a domestic help at their house.

The girl's parents came to know about her being subjected to torture at the judge's house on Monday (July 23) when they went to meet her.

"When we [complainant, his wife and her brother] entered the gate, we heard my daughter crying. Hearing that made me concerned so we went towards the room and found my daughter in wounded condition [...]," the complainant stated in the FIR.

He alleged that his daughter was subjected to severe torture by the judge’s wife, and there were torture marks all over the child’s body.

Upon examining her condition, the parents found several injuries on the girl's entire body, with serious wounds on the head, which were "infested with maggots".

The major injuries described by the complainant include swelling on lips and eyes, broken teeth, and ribs and strangling marks on the neck.

Chest specialist Dr Irfan said that the victim maid’s bronchoscopy has been completed due to lack of oxygen in her body. Giving more details, the doctor said that the child had an infection in one lung and blood clots in the other.

“There is an infection in the patient's blood which is affecting the whole body,” Irfan said, adding that she has become very weak.

Responding to a question about poison, Dr Zafar said that the victim’s samples have been sent to laboratory for testing.

Cruelty to child section added to FIR

Last week, after recording statements of victim maid Rizwana, 14, and her father, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police added Section 328-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which deals with the offence relating to cruelty to a child, in the first information report (FIR) registered against the wife of Civil Judge Asim Hafeez for purportedly subjecting her domestic help to severe torture.

The police said that they are probing all the suspects reportedly involved in the brutal torture of the domestic help.

Judge's wife gets bail

Earlier, the wife of a civil judge who allegedly tortured her teenage domestic help, was granted protective bail by the Lahore High Court (LHC).

After the hearing of Asim’s anticipatory bail plea, Justice Farooq Haider approved her request till August 1 and also ordered authorities to stop her arrest as well.

After being booked, Asim expressed her willingness to cooperate with the investigation into the allegations against her.

‘Attempt to murder section should be added to FIR’

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child Ayesha Raza visited the victim at the General Hospital and inquired after her health. Last week.

In Punjab, employing children below 15 years of age is “illegal”, Khawaja said, adding that whatever happen with Rizwana — the victim — was intolerable. She said that Section 324 (attempt to murder) should be added to the FIR.

The special assistant also said that the victim’s family have reservation over the FIR registered against the suspects. She raised questions over the bail to the suspect.

On her part, Raza said no matter how influential the accused is, they would bring the suspects to justice. She vowed to provide legal help to the family.

Preliminary medical report

The medical report of the victim revealed 15 serious wounds all over the body, particularly the head and face.

"She was denied treatment for seven months which worsened her wounds," the preliminary medical report said.

The victim was later shifted to Lahore from Sargodha for proper treatment, but there too, the doctors were not so hopeful.

The federal capital police have failed to round up the judge for investigation. The police conducted raids for the wife at possible hideouts in Lahore and Gujranwala but failed to get her.

The case

As per the text of the FIR, the complainant had sent his 14-year-old daughter to work as a domestic help on Rs10,000 monthly salary, with the reference of an acquaintance named Chaudhry Mukhtar, seven months ago.

The girl's parents found out about her being subjected to torture at the judge's house on July 23 when they went to meet her.

It may be noted that the victim's parents have said that they hadn't met her during these seven months but talked to her on the phone sometimes.

"When we [complainant, his wife and her brother] entered the gate, we heard my daughter crying. Hearing that made me concerned so we went towards the room and found my daughter in wounded condition [...]," the complainant stated in the FIR.

He alleged that his daughter was subjected to severe torture by the judge’s wife, and there were torture marks all over the child’s body.

Upon examining her condition, the parents found several injuries on the girl's entire body, with serious wounds on the head, which were "infested with maggots".

The major injuries described by the complainant include swelling on lips and eyes, broken teeth, and ribs and strangling marks on the neck.

As per the FIR, the complainant has accused Somia of torturing and keeping his daughter in illegal custody since the day she started working at the judge's house and sought action on the matter.