A heartbreaking incident in Rahim Yar Khan, involving the suspicious death of 13-year-old domestic helper Samia, has once again brought to the forefront grave concerns regarding the safety and well-being of household staff.
Police have arrested a couple, suspected of being responsible for the alleged torture that led to the young girl’s death in the city’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area.
According to District Police Officer Irfan Samo, the victim, a resident of Kotla Pathan, had been employed as a domestic helper at the residence of a man named Shahram for three years. Disturbing details have emerged, with authorities indicating that Samia succumbed to injuries inflicted by her employers.
In a blatant attempt to conceal the crime, Samia’s mother was informed of her daughter’s “sudden death” and received her body, wrapped in a shroud, late at night. Upon returning home, the mother discovered severe signs of torture on Samia’s body and promptly alerted the police, triggering a swift investigation.
DPO Samo confirmed that law enforcement conducted a timely raid, successfully apprehending the suspected couple who had attempted to flee. The girl’s body has since been released to her family following a post-mortem examination. Initial medical findings revealed extensive evidence of severe violence across the girl’s entire body, further substantiating the allegations of torture.
Police investigations are ongoing. This tragic incident has sparked widespread outrage and has once again highlighted the critical issue of child domestic labor and the urgent need for robust protections for vulnerable children. It sadly adds to a troubling pattern of both physical and sexual abuse and exploitation endured by child domestic workers, who often bear the brunt of working to fulfill their families’ needs amid economic hardship.
Last year, a similar incident occurred in Village 84 South, a suburb of Sargodha, where a 12-year-old house help named Ayesha was allegedly beaten to death by her employers. The minor domestic worker was employed by a feudal lord, Jawad Bhatti. Law enforcement stated that Bhatti and his wife allegedly struck the child with iron rods and sticks.
In another harrowing case that surfaced in 2023, a 14-year-old girl, Rizwana, was brutally tortured by Somia Asim, the wife of Civil Judge Asim Hafeez, while working as a domestic helper in their home.
