Kudos to social media activism and consistent follow up by a few TV channels – because of them, the Supreme Court took notice of Tayyaba’s torture case, though I believe that has more to do with the bad name a sitting Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) was bringing to the entire judiciary. One may presume the culprit will be dismissed or punished but will it make any change in the lives of millions of Tayyabas feeding the menace of a generally-accepted child and bonded labour system? That is very much doubtful. But it’s very depressing to see the whole system has been rotten to the core. It’s a series of crimes committed by those who were supposed to enforce and uphold and abide by the law. The story that follows is a strange one: Under pressure from social media and after lodging of a formal complaint, Tayyaba was brought to PIMS for medical checkup. How is it possible that PIMS was unable to identify the torture case at that time? Later, the same hospital – PIMS – came up with detailed torture report, but only when ordered by Supreme Court. A local MPA arranges a car to bring Tayyaba’s father from their home town and provides a place to stay near Islamabad till the issue is ‘resolved’. A lawyer is appointed on behalf of Tayyaba’s father, Azam – instead of pursuing the torture case, he works to save the unholy alliance of high ups. He prepares an agreement under which Azam ‘unconditionally’ pardons ADSJ’s family. Being illiterate, Azam was allegedly totally unaware of the document contents he was made party by affixing his thumb impression. A man in uniform (apparently a police man) reportedly removes the SIM from Azam’s phone — means calls between Azam and other people involved in this drama can’t be tracked. Another ADSJ grants pre-arrest bail to the lady (ADSJ Khurram’s wife) who was accused of torturing the child maid. After receiving the ‘compromise agreement’, within few minutes another ADSJ hands over the child’s custody to Azam, only to be taken to an unknown place till dust settles down. Later police ‘discover’ the child under intense pressure from Superior Judiciary.
It all shows the level of wickedness on the part of lower judiciary, lawyers, medical staff, police, member parliament, and who not — all got united to save the system. A single Suo Motu notice can’t solve the core issue – millions of children are working as bonded labour in Punjab’s brick kilns, on Sindh’s landlords’ fields, in small restaurants and tea stalls, in auto workshops, in factories and cottage industries, on fish harbours, as garbage pickers – you look around and you will find a child working to support his or her family. We, the parents, the judges, lawyers, police officers, doctors, factory owners, business managers, religious scholars – we all see thousands of Tayyabas and their brothers working around us and move on as if it’s someone else’s problem. Who will take Suo Motu notice against us?
Masood Khan
Jubail
