The parents of Tayyaba, a 10-year-old child maid allegedly tortured by her employers, told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday that they do not wish to pursue the case against Additional District and Sessions Judge Raja Khurram Ali Khan and his wife.

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice of the case of alleged abuse and torture of the child after images of the girl began circulating on social media. Tayyaba had been employed as domestic help in Khurram's home in Islamabad's I-8/1 for a couple of years.

Since January this year, Tayyaba has been residing in Pakistan Sweet Homes, an orphanage managed by the Pakistan Baitul Mal.

Muhammad Azam and Nusrat Bibi, the parents of the young girl, submitted a request for reconciliation in the IHC today and said that false allegations had been levelled against Raja Khurram Ali Khan and his wife.

"He (Raja) and his wife have nothing to do with Tayyaba's torture," the parents explained. "We do not want to pursue the case further."

The court, upon hearing the statement, issued a notice seeking a response from the police by May 5.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar sought an affidavit from Tayyaba's parents regarding the matter.

The copy of the affidavit, available with DawnNews, read, "Due to poverty and financial constraints we placed Tayyaba in the custody of former additional sessions judge Raja Khurram Ali's household."

"She disappeared from their residence on December 27, after which Raja Khurram called me and informed me of her disappearance and that a missing person report was filed in I-9 police station."

"The case against former additional judge Khurram Ali Khan was filed as a conspiracy against him," the affidavit read. "Raja Khurram Ali and his wife, Maheen Zafar, are innocent."

On Feb 10, during a hearing in the IHC, Tayyaba's father had submitted an affidavit to a local court claiming her employers did not torture her, bringing the case back to where it was at the start of the year.

A few days later on Feb 20, Maheen Zafar had submitted a written request to the interior ministry stating that the leader of a "mafia" is conspiring against her and her husband.

"The mafia maligned Raja Khurram Ali Khan with fabricated stories," the request stated, adding that negative propaganda was created via social media reports of Tayyaba's torture.

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