Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar on Wednesday said the law of the land has nothing to offer for protection of housemaid’s like Tayyaba.

A three-member bench headed by the CJP heard the suo motu notice case regarding torture of Tayyaba.

During the hearing, Justice Saqib Nisar expressed concern that Tayyaba’s experiences highlight a wider problem in the country.

“Our laws do not offer any protection to children like Tayyaba, which is worrying,” the CJP observed, adding that the case was only part of a bigger problem.

He remarked that the court would like to hear the case in detail and then determine if criminal charges can be brought against the accused husband and wife.

The Chief Justice remarked that it has yet to be determined if the case could be treated through existing laws or whether extraordinary measures will be taken as one of the accused is a judicial officer himself.

It is important that laws are created for children that work as household help, he remarked.

Asma Jahangir, representing various NGOs, said that every second house employs children as domestic help and measures should be taken that underaged domestic help do not go through the same experience as Tayyaba.

She added that like in previous cases, this time too no investigation was conducted regarding the individuals who provide children to be used as house help.

These children are handed in as slaves and no one is conducting investigations about the matter, she argued.

She also argued that the culprits should be brought to justice.

According to Asma, the enforcement of a number of steps that should be taken for the prevention of such acts is the responsibility of the parliament and not of the court.

The CJP remarked that the case was only part of a bigger problem, adding, “Where do these children come from? Who is responsible for assigning them the work?”

In light of the evidence presented before it, the apex court said the trial court could increase the provisions of the offense.

Police submitted its final report to the Supreme Court on the investigation conducted against Tayyaba’s employers, Additional Sessions Judge Raja Khurram Ali Khan and his wife Maheen Zafar.

The court in its earlier hearing had allowed 10 more days to the police to complete the investigation.

Deputy Inspector General Kashif Alam prepared the final report on the case, in which Maheen has been held responsible for torturing the 10-year-old maid.

The next hearing for the case will be held in two-week time.