The Islamabad Police recorded on Friday the statements of a minor domestic worker, who was brutally tortured by a judge’s wife earlier this week, and her father. According to a police spokesperson, the medical reports of the minor child are awaited but her statement has been recorded. The spokesperson said that the judge’s wife implicated in this case has acquired bail till August 1. However, he maintained that the police are investigating all parties involved according to the law. “Child labour is a crime under the law. All citizens who hear of such cases should inform the police on helpline 15,” added the spokesperson. Moreover, the family and the doctors tending to the minor girl confirmed that reports of her death circulating on social media are fake. The incident came to light earlier this week. The young girl was employed by her parents through a person named Mukhtar around six months ago. During her tenure of employment at Judge Asim’s residence in Islamabad, the girl became a victim of severe abuse at the hands of his wife. She was recently shifted to DHQ Hospital in Sargodha, bearing torture marks and signs of abuse on her body. The girl’s parents have said that the judge’s wife accused her of theft and, in response, subjected her to torture, leading to the child’s deteriorating condition. The police had earlier apprised that the suspect, who facilitated the girl’s employment, has been taken into custody and legal action will be taken against him in accordance with the law. Speaking on the matter to the media, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SPAM) on Youth Affairs Shaza Fatima Khawaja asked police to “improve the FIR” of the case. “I will ask the police to improve the sections included in the FIR. The girl’s parents have some reservations and the FIR needs to be improved,” she said, assuring that the government was standing with the girl and her family. The SAPM termed the matter “unfortunate” and pointed out that under the Punjab Domestic Workers Act, it was illegal to hire a domestic servant below the age of 15. She further stated that subjecting an individual to the extent of “cruelty” that the girl in this case had to bear “goes beyond one’s understanding” and could not be the work of a person “having a normal mental state”. Khawaja also regretted that the suspect in the case had been granted pre-emptive bail. “It (bail) should not have been given … everyone should be equal in the eyes of law and judges … we should save anyone or stop their arrest by illegal means,” she said. The case was registered at the Humak police station in response to the complaint from the girl’s father, a labourer by profession. According to the FIR, he sent his daughter to the house of the judge at Zartaj Housing Society through an acquaint against Rs 10,000 per month salary. On July 23, he along with his wife and brother-in-law came to the judge’s house to meet his daughter and found her injured and weeping in a room, it added. They found infected injuries on his head besides wounds all around the face, both arms and legs, the FIR said, adding her tooth was also found broken and swilling on both lips and eyes. “Her ribs were also found broken, and injuries were found on her back. Marks of strangulation were also found around her neck.” When asked, she told her family that the judge’s wife used to torture and beat her with batons and spoons daily and did not provide her with dinner. The FIR said the girl was detained in a room since her arrival at the house. Later, the family took her to the Sargodha DHQ hospital where the girl’s condition deteriorated and was then referred to Lahore.