Pakistan

‘Judge’s wife tortured me daily,’ minor housemaid tells police

Published

1 year ago

Farwa

Somia used to beat Rizwana with sticks, iron rods and other objects: statement.
Housewife used to kick and slap her in rage.
She was “locked in room for days without food or water”.

ISLAMABAD: The minor domestic helper Rizwana, who had survived alleged brutal torture at the hands of an Islamabad civil judge’s wife, recorded her statement to Islamabad police on Friday.

The case came to light on July 25 when Rizwana was shifted to a hospital in Lahore with serious injuries.

Taking swift action on the reports, the police filed a case against the wife of the civil judge for the alleged brutal torture of the 14-year-old girl, employed as a domestic help at their house.

A day earlier it was reported, that besides the wife, the civil judge also used to torture the 14-year-old domestic helper, accused the Rizwana’s grandmother.

Today, in her recorded statement to the police, Rizwana claimed that the judge’s wife, Somia, used to beat her with sticks, iron rods and other objects.

“The housewife used to kick and slap her in rage,” police said quoting the minor. “She also used to hold her hair and bang her head against the wall.”

Rizwana further said in her statement that whenever the judge’s family used to go out of the residence, she was locked in a room for days without food or water.

“I was not allowed to meet my parents,” Rizwana said. “The judge’s wife stood next to me whenever I talked to my parents on the phone.”

The minor girl further revealed that Somia used to threaten and warn her about telling her parents about the brutal torture inflicted on her.

“They did not even bandage my wounds,” she said.

According to police, the civil judge was yet to appear before a joint investigation team.

It is pertinent to mention here that the civil judge was removed from his post and appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) by the Lahore High Court Chief Justice. Muhammad Ameer Bhatti.

The case

As per the text of the FIR, the complainant had sent his 14-year-old daughter to work as a domestic help on Rs10,000 monthly salary, with the reference of an acquaintance named Chaudhry Mukhtar, seven months ago.

The girl’s parents found out about her being subjected to torture at the judge’s house on July 23 when they went to meet her.

It may be noted that the victim’s parents have said that they hadn’t met her during these seven months but talked to her on the phone sometimes.

“When we [complainant, his wife and her brother] entered the gate, we heard my daughter crying. Hearing that made me concerned so we went towards the room and found my daughter in wounded condition […],” the complainant stated in the FIR.

He alleged that his daughter was subjected to severe torture by the judge’s wife, and there were torture marks all over the child’s body.

Upon examining her condition, the parents found several injuries on the girl’s entire body, with serious wounds on the head, which were “infested with maggots”.

The major injuries described by the complainant include swelling on lips and eyes, broken teeth, and ribs and strangling marks on the neck.

As per the FIR, the complainant has accused Somia of torturing and keeping his daughter in illegal custody since the day she started working at the judge’s house and sought action on the matter.

Business

In interbank trade, the Pakistani rupee modestly appreciates versus the US dollar.

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

In the interbank market, the Pakistani Rupee increased by 0.03% against the US dollar during Monday’s early trading session.

The rupee strengthened by 8 paise against the dollar, reaching 278.48 as of 10:10 a.m. By ending at 278.56, the rupee had lost 9 paise the day before.

Globally, Monday saw a minor decline in the US dollar, but it was still close to its two-year high. In order to obtain additional understanding of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate strategy, traders are anticipating US economic data, namely the December non-farm payrolls report.

The Chinese yuan also garnered notice when, following a strong defense by the People’s Bank of China in December, it dropped below the psychological level of 7.3 per dollar for the first time in 14 months.

Last spotted, the offshore yuan increased by 0.15% to 7.3487 per US dollar, while the onshore yuan fell by 0.05% to 7.3252 per US dollar.

The speeches that various Federal Reserve policymakers are scheduled to give this week, in which they are anticipated to restate their positions on inflation and the continuous fight against price increases, are also attracting market attention.

Expectations of fewer interest rate reduction from the Fed have helped the US dollar gain strength, and last week it reached a two-year high. Meanwhile, the euro fell to its lowest level in more than two years.

Latest News

Drugs worth $1 million are seized by the Pakistan Navy in the North Arabian Sea.

Published

6 days ago

Farwa

Pakistan Navy Ship PNS MOAWIN, according to ISPR, used naval air assets to perform a boarding operation on a suspicious boat and confiscate the drugs that were concealed in the ship’s hidden compartments.

An estimated one million US dollars is the international market value of the narcotics that were seized.

International shipping lanes were being used to deliver this shipment of drugs.

Within the region’s maritime borders, the Pakistan Navy is always engaged in stopping all types of illicit activity, ISPR continued.

A spokesperson for the ANF Headquarters stated that earlier, during seven operations, another security unit of the nation’s anti-narcotics unit (ANF) seized more than 149 kg of drugs valued at more than Rs 40 million and detained four drug dealers.

He reported that 30 capsules containing heroin had been found in the stomach of a traveler at Peshawar International Airport who was headed to Jeddah.

Another operation resulted in the arrest of a suspect after 31 inebriated tablets were found in a package close to an Islamabad park.

150 grams of ice were found in a package that was shipped to Australia via a Karachi courier service.

90 kilograms of opium and 10 kg of heroin that had been concealed for smuggling were found during an operation in the Balochistani district of Chagai.

In the fifth operation, 45 kg of hashish was found in an uninhabited part of Balochistan’s Coastal Line Pasni. Three kilograms of hashish were found in Hyderabad on a suspect.

During the seventh operation, 500 grams of ice and 1 kilogram of heroin were found in the custody of a biker who was stopped close to the Iqbal Shaheed Toll Plaza Attock.

Additional investigations are underway, and cases have been filed under the Narcotics Control Act against the arrested suspect.

Latest News

Outsourcing of Airports: Deputy Prime Minister Commits to Transforming Aviation into a Profitable Sector

Published

1 week ago

Farwa

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has instructed the implementation of all feasible measures to render aviation a viable industry and to enhance service quality for travelers.

He provided these directives while presiding over a meeting in Islamabad concerning the outsourcing of airports and the advancement of the aviation sector.