AN investigation has been launched into the alleged exploitation of a Pakistani woman at the hands of her East Lancs boss.

Police are leading the inquiry after the 27-year-old claimed she fled a life of ‘slavery’ in Blackburn and turned up on the doorstep of Nelson councillor Eileen Ansar begging for help.

Coun Ansar said the allegations were that the woman had been brought to Blackburn from Pakistan more than four years ago on a work permit allowing her to be employed as ‘domestic help’.

But her boss refused to pay her and made her work long shifts at a warehouse.

She claims that since ‘Nasreen’ escaped from her keepers through an open window, her former boss has made threats against her and her family back in Pakistan.

Coun Ansar said she was ‘safeguarding’ Nasreen with a family in East Lancashire while she liaises with police, immigration, the Pakistani Embassy and with employment dispute organisation Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS).

She said: “Nasreen came here to better herself and earn money to send back to her family in Pakistan.

"That hasn’t happened and she’s been treated like a slave.

“She turned up on my doorstep with two plastic bags of clothes.

"She was crying and said she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Gradually she’s been able to tell me what has happened.

"What I’m trying to do is keep her in the UK while we sort out the financial side.

“Then there might be grounds for asylum because of the threats made against her and her family in Pakistan.

“I’m going through every single channel to resolve it.”

Nasreen, 27, broke down in tears as she spoke of being ‘forced to work in the home, cleaning and cooking’, from 6am each morning.

Then she would be taken to work until 8pm before going home and carrying on domestic chores including ‘working in the garden and cleaning the drive’ until the early hours.

“Then I would lie down just to sleep,” she said.

Nasreen claimed she would be summoned in the middle of the night if any of the family’s children were ill.

Coun Ansar said Nasreen had come to her because she is a prominent councillor in Nelson and also has strong ties with the Asian community.

“She was locked in the house if the family went out without her,” Coun Ansar said.

“Now we’ve alerted her family as to what has happened, but we are extremely worried about these threats made to her family.”

Nasreen said: “My family are very upset and scared. My nephews are not going to school because they are so frightened.”

She said Nasreen had been unable to seek help from the Pakistan authorities as her keepers had all her official documentation including her passport and work permit.

Coun Ansar added: “She has been left with absolutely nothing, and can’t even prove who she is.

“There are so many Nasreens in the country, the embassy can’t trace her, so there is no investigation from them at this moment in time.”

Nelson Inspector Paul Leigh said officers were looking into aspects of employment law but no criminal investigation had begun.

He said: “The police are aware of this young lady, who has come to our attention through Coun Ansar.

“There have been a number of allegations made, and enquiries are ongoing.

“No arrests have been made.”

Lou Owen of ACAS said: “We would give advice to anyone who rang our advice line, but we do not investigate cases where enforcement is an issue.”