ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to announce a decision on the appeals of those accused in Tayyaba torture case within a week .
During the hearing of Tayyaba torture case in the Supreme Court, advocate general Islamabad informedChief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar that the accused have been handed over sentences, however, a decision on their appeals is pending in IHC.
To this, the CJP remarked, “The Parliament had to implement laws to prevent incidents of torture of child maids, however, its tenure completed before it could take any concrete steps.”
“The rights of children should be protected,” Justice Nisar asserted while stating that laws are already in place for protection of rights of children.
“Laws will make their way,” he added.
While summoning a reply from the interim government on the protection of children’s rights, Justice Nisar called for a notification to be issued on the existing law.
In April, suspended Additional District and Sessions Judge Raja Khurram Ali Khan and his wife Maheen Zafar challenged their year-long imprisonment in IHC.
The suspended judge and his wife were sentenced to a year each in prison for torturing the child maid under Section 328-A (cruelty to a child). The two were also fined Rs50,000 each for the crime of employing an underage (below 12 years of age) child.
On December 29, 2016, Tayyaba, a 10-year-old domestic help, was recovered from the house of the judge after receiving complaints of torture from neighbours. The issue sparked outrage on social media and led to calls for strict and swift justice.
Subsequently, a first information report (FIR) was filed against the judge and his wife at the I-9 police station.
An inquiry report by the police had found that the judge's wife was responsible for torturing the child maid, and Khurram of indirect criminal negligence.
Later, on January 3, 2017, Tayyaba's parents reached a compromise and forgave the accused.
However, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar took a suo motu notice of the compromise agreement and ordered the IHC to conduct a trial of the case.
Following the incident, the IHC had suspended the judge and made him an officer on special duty (OSD).
In total, the statements of 19 witnesses were recorded in the case, wherein 11 were from civil servants and eight from private witnesses, including Tayyaba's parents.