DAWN reported that Zohara Shah originally belonged to Muzaffargarh, but was brought to Rawalpindi four months ago to look after the child of a couple living in Bahria Town Phase VIII in Rawat. The man who hired Zohara as child maid, worked in buying and selling birds and property.
The maid’s alleged physical abuse came to light after her employer brought her to a local hospital and then left her there. The hospital staff later called the police. The initial investigation suggested that on Sunday, Zohara freed some caged parrots, enraging her employers. The allegedly beat her so severely that she was placed on a ventilator but died in the early hours of Monday.
Saddar Superintendent of Police (SP) Ziauddin told the newspaper that the child maid was unconscious when she was brought to the hospital. He said that the police have registered a case that includes rape charges. He said the victim was brought the hospital bleeding and with marks of torture.
“Whether or not the victim was raped in addition to being beaten will be ascertained based on the forensic laboratory report. However, it’s very much certain that she was kicked repeatedly, which caused bleeding,” the police official said.
The couple who had employed the victim confessed to beating her while they were in police custody. They will be produced in court for remand custody soon.
Social media activists are condemning the criminal behaviour of Zohara's employers on Twitter. Journalist Zarrar Khuhro reacted strongly on the incident and said, “Beating a seven year old child to death because she accidentally released your 'expensive parrots'. Hell has run out of space and the demons walk among us.”
https://twitter.com/ZarrarKhuhro/status/1267867594457047045?s=20
https://twitter.com/MDawoodAwan2/status/1268026033380474881?s=20
https://twitter.com/Anasayzz/status/1268025962693787648?s=20
Activist Usama Khilji said, "Not only do people shamelessly employ children as young as seven for domestic work, they also beat and kill them."
https://twitter.com/UsamaKhilji/status/1267836298636800000?s=20
https://twitter.com/SadiaTheSadia/status/1268016987525054464?s=20
https://twitter.com/SabtainNasir5/status/1268017034903912450?s=20
https://twitter.com/osama_babakhel/status/1267935853726269445?s=20