Outrage in Pakistan After 13-Year-Old Maid Dies Following Alleged Torture

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A 13-year-old girl named Iqra has died in Pakistan, reportedly after being tortured by her employers for allegedly stealing chocolates. The incident, which occurred in Rawalpindi, has led to widespread outrage, prompting the hashtag #JusticeforIqra to trend on social media, according to BBC reports. Local police said the girl succumbed to multiple injuries and showed evidence of frequent abuse, including several fractures and a serious head injury.

Iqra's father, Sana Ullah, expressed his devastation, stating, “I felt completely shattered inside when she died." He revealed that she began working as a maid at the age of eight to help her family with debts and was earning approximately 2,500 Pakistani Rupees (around $9) per month. The couple accused of the alleged murder, Rashid Shafiq and his wife Sana, have since been arrested.

This case has reignited discussions about child labor practices in Pakistan, where about 3.3 million children are engaged in labor, and domestic workers are predominantly women and young girls, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund and the International Labour Organization.

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