Tag: child abuse

  • Lahore woman beats teenaged maid, cuts her hair

    Lahore woman beats teenaged maid, cuts her hair

    Child Protection Bureau has rescued a 14-year-old maid who was assaulted with scissors, knives, and sticks by the woman she worked for in the Garhi Shahu area of Lahore, reports Geo.

    The woman cut the girl’s hair without her consent during the assault. Physical examination has revealed marks of physical violence on the body of the victim, identified as Sana.

    Child Protection Bureau instantly took action and rescued the girl.

    Chairperson Sarah Ahmed said that she intended to take necessary actions against the woman.

  • After months of treatment, 13-year-old Rizwana to be discharged from hospital

    After months of treatment, 13-year-old Rizwana to be discharged from hospital

    Rizwana, the underage domestic help tortured at work, will be discharged next week from hospital following months of treatment and surgeries.

    The 13-year-old has been undergoing treatment at the General Hospital in Lahore for the past five months.

    Talking to GeoNews, Principal Amiruddin Medical College Professor Al Farid Zafar said that Rizwana’s condition has improved and she is now walking and talking.

    He said that there have been requests from various departments to keep Rizwana, whichever department has better facilities, Rizwana will be shifted there.

    Professor Al Farid Zafar also said that after being discharged from the hospital, she will not go to Sargodha and will stay in Lahore.

    He also reported that one if Rizwana’s arms has mended while the other arm will be considered for surgery some time after discharge.

    The goal is to give Rizwana a normal life after discharge from hospital.

    In August, Rizwana went through plastic surgery.

    Rizwana had been allegedly tortured and abused while working at a civil judge’s home in Islamabad, after she was accused of stealing jewellery. Rizwana’s family revealed that the girl was not paid a single penny by the family for the extensive workload she was doing and was instead subjected to violence.

  • Rape convict’s death penalty converted to life imprisonment by LHC

    Rape convict’s death penalty converted to life imprisonment by LHC

    Lahore High Court (LHC) has on Tuesday changed the death sentence of a man convicted of raping an 11-month-old to life imprisonment. The decision was made in light of a negative DNA report and the age of the convict at the time of the incident.

    Justice Aalia Neelum headed the two-judge bench hearing the case, where she remarked, “We have concluded that the prosecution has proven its case against the appellant, Muhammad Rafique, beyond any doubt. However, the factors that have persuaded us not to uphold the capital sentence of the appellant are the negative DNA report and the appellant’s age at the time of the incident.”

    The verdict states that the High Court has maintained the fine of three lac rupees as charged by the trial court but the court believes that the death sentence awarded to the appellant is quite “harsh” considering the age of the convict at the time of the crime and the negative result of the DNA report. As per law, the accused always gets the benefit of the doubt and in this case this results in mitigating the severity of the punishment by changing it to life imprisonment.

    Justice Neelum observed that there is no doubt that the baby girl was raped because in our traditional society, no parent of a minor girl will risk her future by falsely implicating somebody of raping her.

    The case against Muhammad Rafique was registered back in 2019 at a police station in Kasur.

  • Major Breakthrough in Fatima Murder Case

    Major Breakthrough in Fatima Murder Case

    Sindh’s caretaker Minister of Law and Human Rights, Muhammad Umar Sumro, confirmed that DNA samples collected from Pir Asad Shah, the prime suspect in Fatima murder case, have matched with the semen traces found on the victim’s clothing.

    He was addressing the National Judicial Conference at a local hotel in Karachi.

    On August 14, ten-year-old Fatima Pharriro was brutally subjected to physical and sexual violence, allegedly by Pir Asad Shah and his wife Hina Shah, and was found dead at their haveli in Ranipur.

    A case was lodged on the complaint of her mother, Shabnam Khatoon, under Sections 302 (intentional murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) at Ranipur police station and an investigation was initiated.

    The minister further highlighted that DNA samples initially did not yield a match due to the alleged tampering of evidence by officials of the health department, reportedly under the influence of the suspect.

    A breakthrough occurred when the samples were sent to a facility in Punjab for processing, and the subsequent analysis established a clear match between the DNA obtained from the suspect and the samples found on the victim’s clothes.

    According to an earlier DNA report from the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Jamshoro, the examination of the semen stains on the deceased girl’s clothing had revealed “mixed DNA profiles,” providing crucial evidence in the ongoing investigation of this tragic case.

    Court Updates

    On November 8, all suspects were produced by jail authorities, and the final charge sheet was submitted by the investigation officer. for the charge frame.

    According to the final challan report, the DNA report has not been submitted to the court yet.

    The DNA report has been submitted to Police Surgeon Karachi, as per the final post-mortem report, the supplementary post-mortem report will be submitted after the DNA report.

    Therefore, after receiving the supplementary post-mortem report, it will be produced.

    Fatima’s case
    A domestic maid, 10-year-old child Fatima Phuriro, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in Ranipur.

    The child had been working as a domestic worker at a haveli owned by an influential local, Pir Asad Shah Jilani.

    Fatima’s mother, Shabana, was informed about the death by the employer who asked her to remove the body from the premises.

    According to DIG Sukkur Javed Jiskani, the parents initially did not share the facts of the case with the police and claimed that the girl was suffering from gastroenteritis.

    While her diagnosis was also confirmed by Dr Abdul Fatah Memon who treated her, the DIG revealed that Fatima was taken to the hospital either by the Pir or his staff and that the SHO was present at the time she was pronounced dead.

    It was not until videos of the child were leaked by an unknown source and circulated on social media that the case caught the media’s eye. By then, the family had buried Fatima on August 15.

    The body was later exhumed and sent for an autopsy which revealed that the girl had been raped both vaginally and anally.

    Fatima’s parents revealed heartbreaking details when we talked to them in September this year.

  • Father confesses to killing son after boy refused to call him ‘papa’

    Father confesses to killing son after boy refused to call him ‘papa’

    A man from Saudabad, Karachi has been arrested for killing his eight-year-old son. The father, Amir, has confessed in front of the police that he was enraged as the boy refused to call him “papa”.

    Amaan’s body was found in Bhains Colony a few days after the father’s complaint of the boy being lost. However, the investigation revealed that the boy was tortured, killed, and dumped by his own father.

    Amaan had come to visit his biological father, as he stayed with his adoptive parents. He was adopted by Amir’s friend and had come to meet his mother, a few days before his death. Amir forced the child to call him ‘papa’, to which the child refused.

    In a fit of rage, Amir then assaulted the child, killing him.

  • Two lac children sexually abused by Spanish clergy, report reveals

    Two lac children sexually abused by Spanish clergy, report reveals

    In a staggering revelation, a 700-page long report released by the Spanish national ombudsman Angel Gabilondo, it has been estimated that over 200,000 minors have been abused by the Roman Catholic clergy since 1940 in the country.

    The poll conducted by the independent commission of over 8,000 people found that 0.6 percent of Spain’s adult population of around 39 million people said that they suffered sexual abuse by members of the clergy when they were still minors.

    “Unfortunately, for many years there has been a certain desire to deny abuses or a desire to conceal or protect the abusers,” said Gabilondo while addressing the press.

    Over the last two decades, the allegations against the Spanish Catholic Church have mounted to a great level often involving children. The report is also critical of the clergy as the response by them was “insufficient” thus, it recommends the state to pay reparations to victims.

    Spain’s parliament in March 2022 overwhelmingly approved the creation of an independent commission led by the ombudsman to “shed light” on allegations of sexual abuse of “defenceless boys and girls” in the Catholic church.

    The church, initially reluctant, said in June that it has discovered 927 cases of child abuse through a complaints procedure launched in 2020, and in response to that it has set up a “child protection” office.

    El Pais, a leading Spanish Newspaper, states in their investigation of 2018 dark facts dating back to 1927 about thousands of victims and alleged abusers. The recent report is dubbed as the “tip of the iceberg” by them.

    The church’s abuse crisis is rampant all across Europe-first surfaced in 2002-and these investigations stir governments to take serious steps to stop the malice. Spain has been leading the effort as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the release of the report was a “milestone” in the country’s democratic history. Child Protection Activist, Juan Cuatrecasas, commented, “This must be the start of something, not an end in itself.”

  • ‘Mayi Ri’ ends with mixed responses from fans

    ‘Mayi Ri’ ends with mixed responses from fans

    The drama ‘Mayi-Ri’ attracted widespread controversy on social media after it depicted an underaged girl being forcibly married to her cousin, later giving birth to a baby girl. However the drama has ended now, with main leads Ainy (Aina Asif) and Fakhar (Samar Jafri) choosing to end their relationship as he decides to go abroad for studies.

    Social media had mixed reactions to the ending. Many fans were happy to see a Pakistani drama deciding not to stigmatise divorce, showing Ainy empowered by her family to chase her dreams and complete her education on her own. In the last scene, Ainy gives a college graduation speech where she strongly advocates for the right of women to chase their dreams, revealing that she has set up a house with her mother called ‘Ayesha Home’ to help young children escape abuse.

    As pop culture writer Sadaf Haider wrote: “Mxed feelings about #MayiRi ending Congratulations on understanding Divorce can be be a blessing Allah has allowed it for a reason Big thank you to The writer for allowing Aini & Fakhir to move on from a child marriage And women supporting each other.”

    Social media users defended Ainy for divorcing Fakhir, working on her independence and following her own dreams. Users shared the clip of Ainy speaking at her college graduation ceremony, applauding the powerful stance the show took against child marriage.

    However, other social media users were disappointed at how Fakhir chose to run away from his responsibilities for wife and child to study abroad, calling this twist, “heartbreaking.”

    But for us, the best part of the drama was how divorce was not treated as a taboo, but as an empowering a step towards a woman’s future. We’re incredibly happy with the direction the show took, and hope more writers and producers take a page from their book, to show that it’s better to live alone than to live in an abusive marriage.

  • 13-year-old Rizwana stands up three months after being tortured

    13-year-old Rizwana stands up three months after being tortured

    13-year-old Rizwana, a domestic violence victim who had been under treatment in the General Hospital in Lahore since three months, has taken her first steps after the ordeal.

    While talking to Geo, the head of the medical board treating Rizwana, Prof. Jodet Saleem, said that 90% of Rizwana’s treatment has been completed and she has started walking now.

    Rizwana’s injuries have also healed, but she still needs an arm surgery as the Orthopaedic is yet to confirm a date.

    Prof. Saleem further said that Rizwana is likely to be discharged from the hospital soon, but she will likely stay in Lahore.

    According to the medico-legal certificate (MLC) issued in July, the extent of Rizwana’s injuries was concerning. The report revealed lacerations on her head, face, and body, including broken teeth, bruises, and signs of strangulation. The girl’s harrowing ordeal came to light when her father, a laborer, filed a complaint with the Humak police station.

    In August, plastic surgery was also performed on the girl.

    Rizwana had been allegedly tortured and abused while working at a civil judge’s home in Islamabad, after she was accused of stealing jewellery. Rizwana’s family revealed that the girl was not paid a single penny by the family for the extensive workload she was doing and was instead subjected to violence.

  • Three reasons why we’re excited to watch upcoming film ‘Gunjal’

    Three reasons why we’re excited to watch upcoming film ‘Gunjal’

    Social media was set ablaze yesterday when the official trailer for the upcoming film ‘Gunjal’ released on all platforms, promising to take users on a thrilling journey about one of the darkest cases in Pakistan. We are incredibly happy to witness the Pakistani industry shift its filmmaking approach and step into more complex social issues. Here are some reasons why we’re super excited to watch ‘Gunjal’:

    1 It explores the investigation of the murder of prominent children right’s activist Iqbal Masih

    For most of our audience members who don’t know Iqbal Masih, he was a vocal critic of abusive child labour in Pakistan, a state he escaped at the age of 10. Because of his protests, Iqbal was able to free more than 3000 children from forced slavery. He visited countries like the US and Sweden where he advocated for an end to bonded labour. However, Iqbal was tragically shot by unknown culprits at the age of 12. But his efforts to eradicate bonded labour didn’t go unnoticed as he posthumously received  World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child in 2000, and later the Sitara-e-Shujaat in 2022 from President Arif Alvi.

    2 The cast list includes thespians like Resham and Ahmed Ali Akbar

    After the success of dramas like ‘Gunah’ and ‘Churails’, as well as Sarmad Khoosat’s ‘Zindagi Tamasha’, it’s clear that Pakistanis want something else other than saas-bahu content. A film like ‘Gunjal’ will ignite the audience’s curiosity and encourage more to watch the film in theatres, because this is a clear opportunity to bring more diverse stories back on our screens.

    3 We need more crime thrillers in Pakistan

    After the success of dramas like ‘Gunah’ and ‘Churails’, as well as Sarmad Khoosat’s ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ it’s clear that Pakistanis want something else other than saas-bahu content. Clearly, a film like ‘Gunjal’ will ignite the audience’s curiosity and encourage more to watch the film in theatres, because this is a clear opportunity to bring more diverse stories back on our screens.

    Gunjal is directed by Shoaib Sultan and written by Nirmal Bano and Ali Kazmi, and its set to release in theatres across Pakistan on December 8.

  • Minor housemaid missing from Pir’s house

    Minor housemaid missing from Pir’s house

    It has been a month since a minor housemaid working at an influential pir family in Karachi went missing.

    The girl’s father, Ayaz Chandio, fears that his 16-year-old daughter, Aqsa Chandio, has either been killed or sold by her employer.

    Aqsa went missing on August 15 and as the father filed a complaint, Darakhshan police registered an FIR under Section 365-B (Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel for marriage etc) of the Pakistan Penal Code on August 17.

    Ayaz spoke with Times, a Sindhi news channel, expressing fears that Aqsa has either been killed or sold by the frmale employer.

    The employer had informed Ayaz Chandio of Aqsa’s disappearance after which he came to the coastal city from Khairpur. However he has claimed that he was detained at the family’s house for two days.

    He also said that the neighbour recalled that they could hear Aqsa’s cries and screams every night.

    The employer’s brother threatened Ayaz and warned him that he would not be able to return to his village, Pir Jo Goth, if he highlighted the disappearance.

    He has also complained that the police have not been taking the case seriously.

    According to DIG-South Syed Asad Raza, Aqsa was kidnapped from the Seaview apartment on August 15.

    The police constituted a special team, probed some suspects and arrests were expected very soon.

    According to investigators, Aqsa had a mobile phone that she secretly used which infuriated her employees. Ayaz was called but by the time he arrived, Aqsa had left.

    The mobile phone is currently in police’s custody.