Once again, Pakistan stands exposed on the security of child right after the tragic demise of Fatima, a 10-year-old girl. Fatima was a victim of child labour in Pir Asad Jilani’s house in Khairpur, where she undergone extreme torture and abuse on the hands of Pir’s family.
Fatima belonged to a poor family who, in order to earn a livelihood, sent her at Pir’s house to work. As per preliminary sources, Fatima was beaten, raped and was kept as a slave. It was very unfortunate that her body marks, especially on her face and stomach, clearly indicated abuse, still the local Police showed no interest in registering a complaint at first. Later a video was leaked on social media which showed Fatima agonizing in pain. In the viral video Pir could also be seen sleeping nearby. After a course of moment, Fatima succumbed to her pain.
It was after the video circulated on social media, the DIG Sukkur took the cognizance of the incident and ordered SHO Ranipur to register an FIR. Accordingly, Pir of Ranipur Asad has been arrested. The SHO and doctor have also been arrested.
Cases like these, where poor minor kids are employed in houses and are then abused have become frequent ones in Pakistan. This continues to persist because of the saddened state of law and order. The local police took every measure to sweep the matter under the rug, even a medical report was forged to protect the accused. And that is just because, a major radicalized section of society in Pakistan morally justifies the child labour and the subsequent abuse. Had the video not been leaked, little Fatima’s story would have remained behind closed doors.