ISLAMABAD: A six-person medical board from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) will examine an 11-year-old child maid at the hospital who was allegedly physically assaulted at a house in E-11. Boiling water was thrown at the child, and her hair was also cut as punishment.

After the child is examined, the board will submit a report on whether the allegations are correct and what kind of sections should be incorporated in the case’s FIR.

The child, who is from Rahim Yar Khan, was employed as a house maid. According to initial reports, the residents of the house physically assaulted her and cut her hair. A neighbour informed the police, who then took the child into custody.

She was shifted to Pims for medical treatment on March 17, and was to be brought back to the hospital for a medico-legal report on March 18. However, the child was not brought back to the hospital, and the police asked that the report be issued based on the observations of the casualty medical officer who treated the child.

Pims Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Akram said he established a medical board because of the sensitivity and importance of the case.

The board will be led by surgeon Dr Tanvir Khaliq, and will include psychologist Dr Rizwan Taj, burns expert Dr Tariq Iqbal, gynaecologist Dr Nasir and medico-legal officers Dr Farrukh Kamal and Dr Nasreen Butt.

“After examining the child, we will prepare a detailed report which will be handed over to the police and can also be submitted in court,” Dr Akram said.

After she was taken into custody, the police moved the victim to a crisis centre in H-8, while two of the suspects in the case, a mother and son, were arrested and obtained bail from the district court.

The suspects have claimed that they had bitter relations with their neighbours, who used the maid and lodged a complaint against them with the Golra police.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2017