‘Killed for stealing chocolate’: Pakistan outraged over 13-year-old domestic help's death in Rawalpindi

Iqra began working as a domestic helper at eight. Her father said he had no choice but to send her to work due to financial struggles.

A 13-year-old domestic help was allegedly murdered by her employers in Pakistan's Rawalpindi over accusations of stealing chocolates.

A 13-year-old girl was allegedly murdered for stealing chocolates in Rawalpindi. (Representative Image)

The girl succumbed to severe injuries in hospital last Wednesday, with preliminary police investigations showing she had been subjected to brutal torture before her death, BBC reported.

The girl's employers, Rashid Shafiq and his wife Sana, along with a Quran teacher who worked for the family have been arrested. The teacher had brought the girl to the hospital and left after telling staff that her father had passed away and her mother was not present.

The incident has sparked a wave of outrage, with the hashtag #JusticeforIqra gaining tens of thousands of views. It has also reignited discussions on child labour and the abuse of domestic workers in the country.

Child labour laws may differ across the country, but in Punjab, children under the age of 15 are prohibited from being employed as domestic workers.

“I felt completely shattered inside when she died,” the report quoted Iqra's father, Sana Ullah as saying.

Sana Ullah said he received a call from the police about Iqra last Wednesday. When he rushed to the hospital, he found her unconscious on a bed. She passed away shortly after.

Iqra began working as a domestic helper when she was just eight years old. Her father, a 45-year-old farmer, explained that he had no choice but to send her to work due to his financial struggles.

After working for several employers, she was hired by a couple with eight children two years ago, earning approximately $28 a month.

The police reported that Iqra had been accused of stealing chocolates by her employers. Initial investigations indicated that she had endured significant abuse.

Authorities also uncovered evidence of continuous mistreatment. Images and videos provided to the BBC showed multiple fractures in her arms and legs, along with a severe head injury.

An autopsy is underway to evaluate the full extent of her injuries, and police have stated that they are awaiting the final medical report.

“My heart cries tears of blood. How many... are subjected to violence in their homes every day for a trivial job of a few thousand?” activist Shehr Bano wrote on X. “How long will the poor continue to lower their daughters into graves in this way?”