Domestic worker allegedly tortured by suspect in Karachi: police

A domestic worker was allegedly beaten by a man in Karachi earlier this week, it emerged on Thursday.

According to a first information report filed at Gabol Town police station — dated December 13 and available with Dawn — the complainant stated that she was working as a cleaner at a private residence when she got into an argument with the suspect on December 10.

“On December 11, when I finished working at a house, the suspect came and started beating me as I was descending some stairs,” she alleged. “He pushed me down the stairs while verbally abusing me.”

The complainant further alleged that bystanders also beat her, leaving her with facial and internal injuries.

According to the FIR, the suspect who initially assaulted the complainant was booked under Sections 337A (punishment for assault), 354 (assault or criminal force to [a] woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace).

After a video of the incident went viral, Sindh Minister for Women’s Development, Shahina Sher Ali, took stern notice of the incident and sought details from police, a statement from her office said.

“The provincial minister directed the police to conduct an immediate and transparent inquiry into the condemnable incident,” the statement read

“In the video, the accused is clearly subjecting the woman to the worst torture,” Sher Ali was quoted as saying. “Whatever the motives of the incident, physical violence against the woman will not be tolerated under any circumstances and the suspect should be arrested immediately and severely punished.”

Last week, seven foreign nationals were booked for assaulting local women and trespassing into a slum in Islamabad, located a kilometre away from Golra Police Station.

The case was registered under Sections 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 354 and 452 (house trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), on a complaint lodged by Mohammad Khan, a resident of the slum at Chora Stop near the police station.

The police said the foreign nationals forcefully entered the slum, which comprises huts and began making videos of the women living there.

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