Couple accused of murdering child maid seek ‘patch-up’ with parents
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RAWALPINDI: The family of the couple accused of murdering their eight-year-old maid has offered her parents a patch-up, it has been learnt.
Syed Fazal Hussain Shah, the grandfather of the minor girl, told Dawn on telephone that efforts had been made by the family members of the couple for a patch-up which was turned down.
“We only want justice,” he said.
Mr Fazal denied that the parents of the girl had sent their daughter to Rawalpindi after taking some payment from the couple.
“The parents were only assured that their daughter will go to school and would be cared well by the couple who had been blessed with a newborn baby.”
No salary was demanded or anything else except the girl’s parents had been assured that their daughter would get better education and would be brought up in a better environment in the city, he said.
“Since the girl was taken to Rawalpindi four months ago, she was allowed to talk to her parents only twice or thrice. She had a last telephonic conversation with her mother three days before Eidul Fitr but didn’t complain to her mother about anything apparently due to the fear of the couple.”
However, Mr Shah said the parents of the victim were assured that she would be allowed to go to her native town on Eidul Azha.
The girl, who had three brothers and two sisters, had not yet started her schooling due to poverty and was attending a madressah in her hometown of Lal Chandra in Muzaffargarh.
Meanwhile, police have also recovered some video clips from the mobile phones of the couple showing the girl being tortured and put in a cage, said a senior police official.
On the other hand, the police have decided to conduct DNA testing of the accused man to verify any sexual assault on the girl as the police had already added a section of the law covering rape charges. The couple was remanded on four-day police custody by a local court which was further extended for three days on Saturday.
Initially, the police had registered an FIR on the charge of attempted murder but after the girl’s death a murder charge was added to the case against the couple.
A police investigating officer told Dawn that the couple had confessed to beating the girl which claimed her life but denied that she was subjected to sexual assault.
Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2020
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Comments (80) Closed
Jun 08, 2020 09:37am
The law of pardoning is barbaric and inhuman
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Jun 08, 2020 09:43am
At the end they might settle with blood money (even that is seldom paid which is current price of 100 camels) and the state will not take over prosecution as these are crimes against society. In Pakistan, poor and powerless never get justice. It is extremely sad.
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Jun 08, 2020 09:46am
Blood money law has become a tool for rich and powerful to get away with murder .
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Jun 08, 2020 09:53am
Speedy justice plus ensuring legislation is undertaken to prevent child labour. The parents of the girl appear to be hiding stuff as well. Them not admitting they received monetary favours and the only understanding was that the girl receives education seems like a farce. I haven't heard of any Pakistani family making such a contract.
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Jun 08, 2020 10:00am
End of day money will speak.
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Jun 08, 2020 10:17am
@ Mir Ali, totally agree
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Jun 08, 2020 10:18am
Justice must be dispensed to the bereaved family !
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Jun 08, 2020 10:26am
Parents of the girl should pardon the accused and should be a role model to Humanity.
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Jun 08, 2020 10:26am
As usual barbaric society.
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Jun 08, 2020 10:27am
The case should be taken up by state, such people should not be let free.
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Jun 08, 2020 10:31am
Money talks and poor walk. Millions of murderers running free in Pakistan, just do the payment (Blood Money), just like paying electric bill. Pakistan should check how many blood money cases done daily? What a shame.
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Jun 08, 2020 10:31am
What an easy way to enjoy privilige in this country!
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Jun 08, 2020 10:34am
Irrespective of patch up and or blood money, Govt / Judicial system ought to set an example of these criminals. A lesson for the generations to come. Simultaneously Govt should use this opportune moment for increasing awareness, about family planning, among masses. An uncontrolled increase of population is at the root of such exploitations and tragedies.
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Jun 08, 2020 10:35am
@Dr. Doctor, This is not unusual, I know some people very close to me who have such contracts.
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Jun 08, 2020 10:44am
Even Rs. 1 Million will win the poor. This will be a tragedy if parents of the poor girl set the rich free at a throw-away price. And, they will.
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Jun 08, 2020 10:54am
No compromise on this murder. Accused must go to jail.
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Jun 08, 2020 11:13am
our justice system needs reforms.
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Jun 08, 2020 11:14am
This law of getting pardon from family (by force or by money) is extremely bad for fair justice.
Also it encourages rich and powerful to play with Lives of poor and weaker segment of society.
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Jun 08, 2020 11:15am
Money and power prevails , rest is all Drama
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Jun 08, 2020 11:27am
Although blood money sounds like the rich are getting away with it - the victims family may benefit from the money more than sending the murderers to jail. I don’t think we should judge the victims family decision unless we are willing to pay compensation instead. I do think blood money should consist of a very big lump sum and then more money should be paid to the family every for the Murders’ entire lives.
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Jun 08, 2020 11:38am
Poor family with 6 kids........... Even middle class family will become poor if they raise 6...
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Jun 08, 2020 11:43am
This is the not the first time - this is a mindset which requires severe punishment as this falls within 2nd degree murder (if not 1) - i wonder what was going in the minds of these barbaric parents? tormenting a 7 year old? i wonder how the new born will grow up to be? Sharuk Jatoi maybe? the state should become a complaint - this was a 7 year old human child not a strayed kitten.
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Jun 08, 2020 11:44am
What a shame that blood money law even exists.
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Jun 08, 2020 12:04pm
@ARK, Agreed !
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Jun 08, 2020 12:06pm
This is the problem in our country.
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Jun 08, 2020 12:08pm
No needof pardon. They killed the girl brutally and densely. And the blame game for the parents be stopped. If they sent the girl for some money then the reason is poverty only.
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Jun 08, 2020 12:10pm
No patch up should be allowed between the partiesThe government should should file murder charges and prosecute the case on behalf of the victim.
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Jun 08, 2020 12:10pm
So horrible to hear.... The poor child suffering in the hands of the owners is just unbelievable... How such people exist in society....
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Jun 08, 2020 12:11pm
Patch up for murder?
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Jun 08, 2020 12:12pm
@Dr. Doctor, Here the first issue is murder
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Jun 08, 2020 12:13pm
Family of little girl also responsible for handing over her to others, already many cases of such kind are registered. So parents responsiblities should not be ignored and they should also be punished along with accused.
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Jun 08, 2020 12:17pm
Why not Sharia Law on these two who killed the young innocent girl child. What was her fault, being utterly poor and sent by her parents to work as a maid and as a young innocent she releases the pet birds which were caged? Such a young girl less than 7 years and now the murderous couple want to pay money to buy their freedom? Law of the land should not allow this. The man who kicked the young girl child showed no sympathy and that is what actually killed the child. His own child was of the same age and this poor girl child was brought to do baby sitting. His wife was also cruel. Send them both for a long prison term.
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Jun 08, 2020 12:46pm
keep killing people and then settle case with money? Is this even humanity
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Jun 08, 2020 12:49pm
The parents of girl who are to be equally blamed in this crime. Now the parents will take money and a patch up will be done. What a Justice system we have.
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Jun 08, 2020 01:03pm
There is a loophole for rich in such cases in law called "Blood money" .
Matter ends as money changes hands.
What a pity.
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Jun 08, 2020 01:05pm
Entire society has been a victim of injustices.
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Jun 08, 2020 01:06pm
@Ahmad, so what’s stopping the government from banning this medieval practice? Because there is no will!
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Jun 08, 2020 01:27pm
How can any country allow an 8-year-old girl to be employed? Are there no child right NGOs in Pakistan?
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Jun 08, 2020 01:45pm
How can someones blood can be fixed with patch-up?
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Jun 08, 2020 01:48pm
Speechless. Economic disparity will eat up this case also, at the end of the day. Justice seems to be impossible to get in Pakistan.
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Jun 08, 2020 01:52pm
Till Blood Money law remains, Poor people will never get Justice.
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Jun 08, 2020 01:59pm
It’s hard to believe that parents sent the girl only for education. Usually they take advance money of 6-12 months and send the child as housemaid. Sometimes the minor cannot work and starts crying. In that case, the parents have to return the advance money which is not possible for them. So they insist the child to work there. Its really common and Police and media knows this very well.
I don’t know what happened in this particular case but torture is unacceptable. Blood money should not be allowed in this case.
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Jun 08, 2020 02:00pm
Parents should be held responsible as well.how can they hand over such a young child to some stranger! I have come across parents who insist upon their child being placed in work for some meager amount.logic defies them.offer money for child education they will ask to be compensated for the wages as well.we need stricter surveillance system where both parties parents and employer are accountable.
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Jun 08, 2020 02:05pm
Money will do magic. Wait and watch.
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Jun 08, 2020 02:06pm
@Dr. Doctor, my late uncle took someone in.went to same school as his children.he ended up with an MBA. But this is rare.childs parents lived close by. Still I believe a child belongs with his parents ,and his or her education paid
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Jun 08, 2020 02:06pm
Same old story still very much live, kicking, valid and true in the midst of the unstoppable, fastly growing and ever expanding coronavirus pandemic.
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Jun 08, 2020 02:09pm
If I were in their shoes. I would ever have complained. Or gone to the police. In fact I would never raise my voice on this issue. I would have accepted what had happened, gone through the rituals. I would not accuse anybody or demand justice. . I would simply get justice myself. One night. Ever so quietly. That would be the night I knew that poor childs soul could finally rest in peace.
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Jun 08, 2020 02:54pm
This law of blood money is inhuman, devalue human life and is meant for rich to take life of poor and helpless with impunity. It is like hunting Mahkhor but paying for the licence fee afterwards in the form of blood money.
This law to protect powerful murderers must be struck down from our constitution.
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Jun 08, 2020 03:13pm
@Ahmad, The law exists can deny . but i am against the brutal fashion common in paksitan.
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Jun 08, 2020 03:49pm
Well I think there are two issues here: One is the deal with parents for blood money, second is the murder, which is a crime punishable under law. If the parents pay blood money then does that mean the crime against the State laws is also excused.
These are two different issues, I think the folks should still be charged with murder and that should stay in their record, So that people know who they are dealing with.
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Jun 08, 2020 03:57pm
No patch up allowed....demand for justice...8 year old maid is inhumane and killing her is just barbaric....
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Jun 08, 2020 04:17pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad, what has this story got to do with corona virus Dr Sahaib
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Jun 08, 2020 04:42pm
This is another George Floyd case.
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Jun 08, 2020 05:11pm
totally barbaric but I also pity the parents of the girl who seems to be resorting to lying. everyone knows when parents send their little children to work in plush houses, they take advance money. Looks like the lawyers of the girl is looking for a handsome settlement. and his cut.
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Jun 08, 2020 05:14pm
@Laila, couldn’t agree more!
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Jun 08, 2020 05:17pm
The state has a responsibility of punishing the culprit as per law even if the poor family of the victim is forced into an agreement.
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Jun 08, 2020 05:17pm
@RationalBabu , you’re right. No will and no care, the poor are dispensable for them.
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Jun 08, 2020 05:21pm
If we get 8 years girls then surely we will adopt her legally not as a maid
We can't even imagine to keep a child as a maid
In which world are we living ...
Where is humanity...
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Jun 08, 2020 05:39pm
They must go to jail.
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Jun 08, 2020 05:40pm
@RATHAN KUMAR ARAVIND, "In which world are we living ... Where is humanity.." In a feudal one, where humanity is a guest star.
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Jun 08, 2020 05:45pm
@Karma, Blood money not allowed in Sharia?
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Jun 08, 2020 06:11pm
nothing will happen, money will be paid to parents n law enforcing agent case closed sad
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Jun 08, 2020 06:40pm
The poor know that if they don't take money, somebody else will, and the couple will go scot free anyway.
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Jun 08, 2020 07:00pm
Justice must prevail.
It makes no difference who is elite, rich, poor or powerless.
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Jun 08, 2020 07:23pm
@Dr. Doctor, While your speculation may be true, it remains irrelevant to the case. Her parents may be guilty of child abandonment, but not murder. The man and his wife are the guilty ones.
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Jun 08, 2020 07:33pm
@Ahmad, When you live in past that's exactly what happened. We refuse to accept the 21st century reality because it benefits men , rich and powerful
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Jun 08, 2020 07:38pm
Why there are no laws for child labor? What are the legislations in progress?
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Jun 08, 2020 08:02pm
@Dr. Doctor, It's a clear example of victim blaming. NO MATTER WHAT, the child shouldn't have tortured and murdered.
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Jun 08, 2020 09:37pm
Patch up is an atrocity against poor and affordable for privileged. Lock up for life is the answer insted the patch up. Sadly the blood money comes at the end which has been the biggest hinderence in rendering the real justice.
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Jun 09, 2020 02:45am
Jail the couple and throw away the key. Otherwise, the privileged will continue to get away with murder.
Even if the family forgives. The state must set an example of justice. A helpless child has been murdered. Why are we silent!
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Jun 09, 2020 04:28am
The girls parents have six children. If one or two child limit with welfare payments had been in force they would have been afford school.
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Jun 09, 2020 05:09am
Poor vs Rich very likely ends this way always.
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Jun 09, 2020 08:26am
Eye for any eye.
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Jun 09, 2020 09:23am
Stop having children you can't afford to raise!
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Jun 09, 2020 06:30pm
There should be one law in Pakistan. Not British law and Sharia Law (sort of law) where a murderer convicted under British Law, gets a clean chit when tried under Sharia Law using the 'Blood Money' card.
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Jun 09, 2020 07:21pm
@Ahmad, it is not barbaric to forgive, the issue of child labour and society not caring about children is the problem. The couple in question need to be questioned and dealt with through the courts, ofcourse they will try to buy off the parents, this is where the state needs to intervene, if this couple are found guilty then they should be punished.
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Jun 09, 2020 08:08pm
It is a crime to have children and not able to support. When can this simple truth be understood?
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Jun 09, 2020 09:20pm
Let the system play out do not bring outside solutions to a local problem.
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Jun 09, 2020 10:43pm
The torture murder of a child is a heinous capital crime. The crime is legally against the state. It is not forgivable under any circumstances or conditions of recompense.
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Jun 09, 2020 10:53pm
@illawarrior, Blaming the victim! That is not a defense for any crime, especially not for murder.
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