Another domestic labourer Aaliya was found dead on Thursday under mysterious circumstances. This is the second incident that has taken place within a week. The second case was of Laiba, 6, who was found dead in Harbanspura at the hands of a couple who employed her. She was thrashed with a stick and subsequently killed over a trivial issue.
According to details, Aaliya, 18, was working in the house of Rahat Mirza, a resident of Civil Lines area. She had been employed for 8 months in Lahore, while her family lives in Faisalabad. Official sources claim that Aaliyah had stolen something from the employer who in turn shouted at her for it. As a result she committed suicide. However whether it is suicide or not has not been proven yet.
Child and minors rights organisation SPARC, which has been working on abuse, assault, torture and murder of domestic labourers especially those who are under age, say that this might just be a murder. “It is not as if she could not have committed suicide in any case,” says Sahiba Irfan Khan, program officer of child rights. “But keeping in mind the present scenario, things seem a bit suspicious. Around 13 cases of murder have taken place since last year in Punjab only, while in Lahore, this year, around 3 to 4 cases have taken place since this year. Things are not too bright where this issue is concerned,” she says.
Police sources from the Civil Lines Police Station confirm that FIR number 371 has been lodged in connection with this case, by the employer of the girl herself. “We cannot say whether it was a suicide or not, because no investigation has been done as yet,” says the source. “But the girl’s family has supported the employer in this issue,” he says. Data has shown that domestic workers under 18, especially, have been experiencing brutal torture and abuse at the hands of their employers.
This is either under reported, or rarely reported, as families of victims are occasionally threatened by the employers, or the matter is settled outside courts. While murder cases are still reported, there are countless of other cases where the workers have been abused, injured, sexually assaulted,
or tortured. The employment of children, especially girls, in homes is a common phenomenon. Since there is little or no concept or even opportunity of education, most parents bring their little girls and boys to city to work in homes.
These boys and girls work unregulated hours, with no or little time for recreation. They are at high risk of abuse verbal, emotional, physical and sexual sometimes resulting in death as well.