few days ago, the Rawalpindi police registered a case against a man for brutal torture of his child maid.

Asma, a thirteen-year-old girl, was reportedly subjected to abuse by her employer’s wife in Bahria Town Phase VIII, an upscale gated community situated between Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Asma was recruited through a company her parents approached a few months ago. She was paid a monthly wage of Rs 20,000.

According to the first information report, a police constable heard the girl’s screams. She then ran out of the house and sought help from him.

The investigation officer for the case said that Asma claimed in her statement that she was not allowed to speak to her parents during her time at the house. She also alleged that she had been repeatedly beaten by the employer and his family. She said she was beaten and bitten, the police officer said.

The FIR stated that “there were bruises and bite wounds on several parts of her body. The girl said for many days she had been confined to a room.

Asma claimed that for four months she had not been allowed to call her parents or to visit them. After the case was registered, the police sent her to the local Rural Health Centre for medical examination in police custody, the officer said.

Police have registered the case under Section 3 of the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance, 2002, which defines and criminalises human trafficking, including recruitment and harbouring through coercion, fraud or force.

The case also includes Sections 4 and 5 of the same ordinance, related to organised criminal activity and procedures for victim protection and rehabilitation, including safe custody and shelter arrangements. The accused have also been charged under Sections 342 and 382-A of the PPC, pertaining to wrongful confinement and allied offences.

According to the investigation officer, Asma’s employer Syed Talha has been arrested and is currently in judicial custody. Further investigation is under way.

Many families in major cities and peripheries send children to work in wealthy homes to earn bread and butter for them.

Child domestic workers, mostly girls, spend entire days slaving away for a pittance. Cleaning, washing, cooking and general domestic care are typically part of the job. The struggles of these girls are often invisible to the society, but their labour sustains hundreds of households across the country.

A 2025 national factsheet on violence against children raised serious alarm over the scale of abuse reported across Pakistan during the first six months of 2025, highlighting gaps in reporting, investigation and prosecution that continue to expose children to severe risks. The report highlighted a persistent systemic failure allowing violence against children “to flourish unchecked.”

The twin cities have the Islamabad Capital Territory Domestic Workers Act 2019. The Punjab Domestic Workers Act 2019 is also applicable. In spite of legislation, such incidents continue to happen, indicating a lack of political and administrative will to fully implement the relevant laws and protect the children.

A few years ago, a similar case was reported from Rawalpindi. Zahra, employed as a domestic worker, was tortured brutally for letting pet parrots escape from their cage. She later succumbed to her injuries.

A year ago, in the same city, a 12-year-old domestic worker, Iqra was tortured because her mistress’ daughter accused her of stealing chocolate. The tortured child worker suffered a deep head injury and later succumbed to her wounds.

The author is a staff reporter. He can be reached at [email protected]. He tweets at @waqargillani