14-year-old domestic help of judge hospitalised after alleged torture

ISLAMABAD/SARGODHA: In a harrowing case, a 14-year-old girl employed as a domestic help at a civil judge’s home, has been admitted to a hospital with serious injuries with the family accusing judge Asim Hafeez’s wife of torturing the child.

According to the victim’s parents, they had sent their daughter to the judge’s residence as domestic help through a man named Mukhtar seven months ago.

They alleged that their daughter was subjected to severe torture by the judge’s wife and there were torture marks all over the child’s body. They added that the judge’s wife had accused the girl of stealing jewelery and had beaten her up with a bat.

The parents said that once their daughter’s condition got worse, the judge’s wife dropped off the child to Sargodha at her home in a “critical condition”. The parents first took the child to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), Sargodha, and later shifted her to the General Hospital in Lahore due to her critical condition.

The hospital administration confirmed that the child was being treated at the facility. They added that she was shifted due to the head injury. Initial medical report confirms 15 injuries on child.

On the other hand, Sargodha District Police Officer Kamran Faisal told the Geo News that as per the initial medical report, the child has 15 injuries, including on the head. He added that apart from these injuries, some internal organs of the child were also affected.

The injury on the child’s head is considered the most serious as per the DPO. “Maggots infested her wounds as she did not receive medical help on time.”

Meanwhile, SP City Sargodha said that the person who sent the girl for employment has been arrested and assured that action will be taken as per law.

On the other hand, an Islamabad Police spokesperson told Geo News no one has requested action so far, adding that a probe will be launched as soon as they get a request.

Civil Judge Asim Hafeez, working at Islamabad’s Federal Judicial Academy, confirmed that they had hired the 14-year-old as a domestic help and she was working at his home since December last year.

He claimed that the girl had “eaten sand” from one of the plant pots at their residence due to which her skin got “damaged”. The judge added that he got the girl treated by a doctor in Gujranwala who prescribed her medicine. “The girl after her skin improved would scratch off the wound,” he also claimed.

On the wound on her head, Hafeez claimed that when they told the girl they would be dropping off the child back at her home, she banged her head on a wall.

“The girl used to take scarf on her head and never complained about the injury on her head. I am against physical abuse and torture incidents never happened in front of me,” claimed the judge. He added that his wife complained the girl was not working and then he asked her to drop the child at her home.

“My wife along with the driver dropped off the girl at her home in Sargodha,” said Hafeez claiming that the mother started beating the child, in front of his wife, as she dropped her off. He also claimed that the girl used to complain to them about not going home as she feared her parents would beat her up.

On the accusation of stealing jewellery, the judge contested that his wife complained to him not finding her jewellery but “did not” accuse the child of theft.