Faisalabad torture case: Minor girl shifted to Punjab child protection unit

FAISALABAD: A Faisalabad minor who was tortured by her employers has been shifted to the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau Punjab, confirmed the bureau’s spokesperson Sarah Ahmad on Friday.

She had earlier been returned to her parents, a police spokesperson had said hours after a case was registered in the matter.

Earlier this week, a judicial magistrate had rejected the bail plea of a woman suspected of beating up the minor, sending her on a 14-day judicial remand to prison.

The woman and another man were arrested after a video of them brutally beating a minor went viral on social media. The main suspect in the case, however, was released on bail after submitting bail bonds worth Rs100,000.

Read more: Faisalabad girl tortured by employers now with her parents: police

On Friday, Ahmad tweeted an update in the case and said the SHO who mis-handled the case has been suspended.

She said the bureau has filed for stronger sections to be added in FIR.

The Child Protection Bureau Punjab had filed an application in court to take the child into their custody. The child had been returned to her parents in Sahiwal after the police recovered her from the suspects on Saturday.

'No justification for hitting a child'

Child Protection Bureau Chairperson Sarah Ahmad, speaking to Geo News, had said that the 12-year-old was a domestic worker employed by the family.

"The family members said that they were hitting the child as she is a mental patient. This is no justification for hitting her," Ahmad said, adding that employing a minor was a violation of child rights in the first place.

The chairperson said that a case has been registered against the man and his wife.

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar had taken notice of the incident and sought a report from the RPO Faisalabad, a statement from the provincial government had said.

Read more: Woman suspected of torturing Faisalabad domestic worker sent on 14-day judicial remand

In the FIR registered against the suspects, it is mentioned that the incident had taken place in Faisalabad's Eden Valley neighbourhood.

It said the incident had taken place on December 3, however, an official from the child protection bureau had informed the police about it on December 5.