'Beaten with iron rods': 12-year-old house help 'tortured to death' in Sargodha

• Police say minor was allegedly beaten with iron rods.
• Law enforcers say suspect and his wife are on the run.
• Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz seeks report of incident.

A 12-year-old house help was allegedly tortured to death by her employers, police said, as minors bear the brunt of working to fulfil their families’ needs amid an economic stretch, Geo News reported.

The horrific incident, the local police said, occurred in Village 84 South, a suburb of Sargodha, where Ayesha, the minor domestic worker, was employed by a feudal named Jawad Bhatti.

The law enforcers said that Bhatti and his wife allegedly struck the child with iron rods and sticks.

After the alleged murder, the suspects telephoned Ayesha's family members and informed them that their daughter had an accident, following which she sustained injuries.

When the family reached the place, they found out that the girl had been tortured and killed. Moreover, Bhatti had made a run for it along with his wife.

The police said that a murder case has been registered against the suspect, Jawad Bhatti, and his wife at the Laksian Police Station on the complaint of the house help’s father. A search is also underway to arrest the suspects.

Providing details about the suspect, the police said that Bhatti is a contractor of the toll plaza. The police have also shifted the body of the maid to a hospital for post-mortem.

In response, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took notice and immediately sought a report from the inspector-general of police.

She also emphasised the need for a thorough investigation into the incident and urged that the perpetrator be brought to justice swiftly. She stated that violence has no place in Punjab.

Child domestic workers are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, including physical and sexual, and are also at risk of trafficking as they are often recruited by middlemen who promise them work and then sell them to employers. 

Many child house helps work long hours, with no rest or breaks, and are not allowed to attend school or receive any education.