There was an uproar on social media after an eight-year-old domestic worker was allegedly beaten to death by her employers after the little girl let free some caged parrots.
According to reports, Zohra Shah, who came from Muzaffargarh, started working for the family a few months ago taking care of the employer’s child in Phase VIII of Bahria Town Rawalpindi. The physical abuse came after Zohra freed some caged parrots that angered her employers who beat her to death and later left her at a hospital when the staff called the police.
“The maid was cleaning the cage when she inadvertently let the two parrots free,” a spokesperson said. “Hassan and his wife got infuriated and brutally beat the maid.”
The girl was unconscious when she was taken to a private hospital in the Rawalpindi, on May 31. She was kept on a ventilator in the ICU but died the next day. According to a police report, Hassan brought the maid to the hospital but disappeared from the scene. According to the hospital medical report, the deceased girl had torture marks on her cheek, ribs and thighs. She also had older marks which were still not fully healed. The report also said she had injury marks in areas suggesting possible rape. The police are awaiting a further report.
Police arrested the Bahria Town residents, Hassan Siddiqui and his wife, following the girl’s death. Reports state that the two are being kept at the Rawat Police station.
Following her demise, social media went in an uproar with public figures from the showbiz industry and otherwise raising their voices against the tragic incident.
Taking to Twitter, Superstar Mahira Khan shared the news and wrote: “The demons walk freely among us.”
Shaniera Akram wrote: “Anyone who has a person working for them in their house who is under the age of 14, and I don’t care if they are your longtime staff members son or daughter who’s living with you, you are breaking the law.If you really want to look after that child then send them to school not work!” she said.
Rapper-comedian Ali Gul Pir said: “If a child who was killed because she wanted a bird to be free can’t get justice. Then nothing that you have achieved matters #basicHumanRight #JusticeForZohraShah,” he said.
Meanwhile, actor Ushna Sha had earlier talked about how the public should be concerned about grave incidents like these as opposed to social media gossip.
“Those of you who aren’t asking the right questions are shaping the priority of our nation, this makes us collectively s***,” she said.
Armeena shared a sketch of a girl freeing a bird from its cage with the caption “RIP Zohra Shah. #JusticeForZohraShah”.
https://twitter.com/ArmeenaRK/status/1268089284071915522