April 14, 2025
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
A 10-year-old domestic worker was allegedly killed due to torture in the Hanjarwal area of Lahore on April 11. The child, a resident of Pakpattan, was working in a house, where she was employed by Farrukh Bashir and his wife Nosheen. The couple reportedly tortured her consistently because of which she lost her life.
Police officials said that clear signs of torture were found on the child’s body. They say that instead of taking her to the hospital, the accused let her remain at home, until her death. DIG Operations Faisal Kamran took notice of this tragic incident and ordered the immediate arrest of the involved suspects.
The first information report was registered by the child’s mother, Rabia Bibi at the with the Hanjarwal police station.
“Three months ago, through my relative Sheikh Fayaz, I placed my daughter Sonia, approximately 10 years old, as a domestic worker at the home of Farukh Bashir Butt and his wife Nosheen Farukh in Lahore for a monthly salary of Rs 8,000,” Rabia Bibi states in the FIR. However a few days ago, she was informed by Sheikh Fayaz that her daughter Sonia had suffered an injury on her arm. She sent her relative Muhammad Aleem to check on her daughter’s well-being.
Aleem told the child’s mother that when he went to visit the child, he witnessed the suspects torturing her. When he strongly protested, the couple threw him out of the house. Despite his protests, the suspects continued the torture and subsequently did not respond to the parents’ continuous calls.
The mother stated in the FIR that on April 11, 2025, at around 12:30 pm, she received news of her daughter’s death. She arrived at Farrukh Bashir’s house located at 173 Ali Block, Ittefaq Town, and saw her daughter Sonia lying dead on the floor inside the house with signs of torture on her face and entire body. Rabia Bibi also accused the suspects of not taking the child to the hospital and not providing any information about her condition.
Police have taken swift action in this case and arrested the suspects Farrukh Bashir and Nosheen. The couple was charged with offences under sections 302 (murder) and 34 (common intent and object) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
DIG Operations Faisal Kamran said that ‘a special team had been formed as soon as information about the incident was received’ and further stated that ‘according to the instructions of the Chief Minister of Punjab, violence against women and children is a red line.’
Serious child abuse
This case highlights serious violations of child protection laws in Punjab. According to Section 3 of the Punjab Domestic Workers Act, 2019, no child under the age of 15 years can be employed as a domestic worker. The law permits light work for adolescents between 15 to 18 years, provided it does not affect their health, safety, and education.
Additionally, the Punjab Restriction on employment of Children Act 2016 explicitly prohibits the employment of children below the age of 15 in any establishment and contains specific provisions against hazardous work that may harm children’s physical or psychological development.
The employment of 10-year-old Sonia as a domestic worker was therefore illegal under multiple provincial laws, compounding the tragedy of her death due to alleged torture.
Human rights organizations are expressing serious concern over such incidents regarding the protection of domestic workers and emphasizing the need for legislation for domestic workers. There is also a need for strict implementation of laws on the minimum age for work for children.
It is noteworthy that cases of abuse of domestic workers in Punjab continue to increase, necessitating that the government take strict measures in response.