Employer in Lahore accused of brutally torturing teen maid, mother

LAHORE: Two housemaids, a mother and her teenage daughter, were hospitalised in Lahore recently after their employer, a woman, allegedly subjected them to brutal torture.

The accused employer, who lives in a housing society near the city's airport, was immediately arrested by the police after locals informed the authorities about the deterioration of the young housemaid's condition.

The police also shifted the victims to a hospital for treatment.

In a statement given to the police by one of the housemaids, it was revealed that the employer used to torture her with sticks and force her to drink hot water.

A case against the employer was registered by the police on the housemaid's statement. The police has also initiated an investigation into the horrific incident.

However, this is not the first time such an incident has been reported in the country.

In August last year, Pir Asad Shah Jeelani, a member of the influential Pirs of Ranipur, was arrested by the Khairpur Police for allegedly torturing his 10-year-old maid Fatima Furiro to death.

The issue came to light after video clips of Fatima’s body bearing severe torture marks went viral on social media. In the video, the seriously injured girl was seen struggling to sit up on her bed before collapsing.

Nearly a month before that incident, a 14-year-old domestic worker Rizwana, was hospitalised in critical condition in Islamabad after her employer, a judge's wife, subjected her to brutal torture.

Rizwana, in her statement to the police at the time, claimed that the woman beat her with sticks, iron rods, and other blunt objects.

The harrowing incident sparked condemnation across the country with several human rights activists taking to the streets, raising their voices for the rights of children, particularly young girls working as domestic helps.