A 14-year-old boy was tortured to death by his employers for allegedly stealing a stereo system in Iqbal Town.
Police arrested the killers on Tuesday while they were trying to dispose of the teenager’s body in Rohi Nala. The deceased was identified as Bodi, resident Mandi Bahauddin district.
Police said the victim was working at Khurram Musical Academy in Ayub Market near Shah Noor Studio, owned by Khurram who abducted Bodi from his house located in Bhaikay Wal village while accusing him of stealing a sound system.
The police said Khurram in connivance with his father Saddique Masih, a brother Baber, brother-in-law Usman and a friend Muhammad Tariq subjected Bodi to severe torture resulting in Bodi’s killing.
According to Iqbal Town Police Station SHO Inspector Qamar Abbas, the killers had hidden the body but the stink forced them to dispose it. But police on a tip-off raided the house and arrested four culprits while Khurram managed to escape.
Citizens lose valuables
in separate incidents of robbery: Bandits took away cash, gold ornaments and other valuables worth Rs 10 million in separate incidents of theft in Johar Town and Ichra, sources said on Tuesday.
According to details, five armed bandits entered Javed Iqbal’s house in Johar Town and robbed cash, gold ornaments and other valuables worth Rs 4.5 million. Iqbal told reporters that the robbers badly tortured his family members and locked them inside a room. Police reached the spot when the robbers had already fled away from the scene. Police had registered a case and had started investigation.
In another incident, unidentified men robbed a jewelry shop, located near Ichra police area and fled away after collecting gold ornaments worth Rs 5.5 million, sources in police said.
Muhammad Saeed, the shop owner, told reporters that the bandits entered his shop ‘Sahara jewelers’ by cutting the duct and removing the exhaust fan and escaped after collecting one-kilogramme of gold ornaments.
In another incident, Muhammad Akram was on his way home when two robbers intercepted him in Sandha police area.
The robbers held him up at gunpoint and snatched away his motorcycle, mobile phone and purse.
It is unfortunate that incidences of torture and abuse of children hired for domestic labour are escalating especially in Punjab which reflects the insensitive and negligent attitude of both employers and parents.
There is urgent need to realize the prevalence and effects of child domestic labour. According to ILO, every 4th household employ child for work in Pakistan, thus, depriving thousands of children from their basic rights of health, education, and protection.
Though, numbers of torture cases were highlighted by media, followed by Shazia Masih case in Lahore in January 2010, still no concrete steps have been taken from the responsible authorities to curb the issue. There must be strong mass awareness campaigns at gross root level regarding the negative consequences of child domestic labour. This may help to reduce the sufferings of innocents caught in this hideous practice.
Despite the hue and cry of civil society organizations and the media on the plight of child domestic labourers, the state failed to positively respond to the situation through the imposition of a ban on domestic child labour.
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