ISLAMABAD – Rizwana, the minor housemaid who was allegedly tortured by a judge’s wife and remained hospitalised for months, has finally returned to school.
Rizwana is currently living at a shelter house of the Punjab Child Protection Bureau and she has started a new chapter of her life as she has got admission to a school.
A few months ago, Rizwana was brought to the District Headquarters Hospital in Sargodha in critical condition reportedly with wounds on her face, head and body that were said to have been caused by a “blunt weapon”. The girl also bore burn marks on her body.
She was later shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at the Lahore General Hospital, with doctors fearing for the teen’s life.
The case made headlines nationwide after images of the bruised and battered girl, said to be 14 years old, went viral in the last week of July. In the aftermath of the incident, it was revealed that she was employed at the residence of a civil judge, with the girl’s parents saying that she had named the judge’s wife, Somia Asim, as her abuser.
Later, a District and Sessions Court in Islamabad granted bail to civil judge’s wife, who allegedly tortured and abused Rizwana.
During the proceedings, Additional District and Session Judge Mohammad Haroon approved the bail, ordering the accused to submit bond of Rs100,000.
Somia had been in judicial remand at Adiala Jail pending her bail application. Her request for bail had been previously rejected by the court.
