Pahadi Shareef woman stranded in Oman after being forced to work without pay

A woman from Pahadi Shareef in Hyderabad has been stranded and subjected to alleged abuse in Oman after being lured there under the pretext of a housemaid job. Shabnam Begum, who travelled to Muscat on March 26, was reportedly forced to work 12 to 15 hours a day across different houses, denied proper food and accommodation, and left unpaid for four months.

The issue came to light after Begum sent a self-recorded video detailing her ordeal to Amjed Ullah Khan, a Hyderabad-based politician and leader of the Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT). In the video, she described being subjected to poor living conditions and torture while being forced to work long hours without any salary.

According to Khan, a local recruitment agent in Hyderabad had lured Begum to Muscat by promising her a housemaid job with a salary of 200 Omani Riyals per month. However, upon her arrival in Oman on March 26, the promises were not kept. Instead, she was forced to work in different houses for 12 to 15 hours daily, denied proper food, and deprived of her salary for four months.

Khan raised the issue on the social media platform X, appealing directly to Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to intervene and facilitate her safe return to India. In his post, Khan detailed the physical toll and financial exploitation Begum has faced since her arrival.

Following the public appeal, the Embassy of India in Muscat confirmed that it has taken cognisance of the matter. The embassy stated that the case is currently being taken up at the appropriate levels to address Begum's situation and secure her safety.

As of now, Begum remains stranded in Oman, awaiting official intervention from the Indian government to secure her rescue and repatriation back to her home in Hyderabad.