Rats of Shah Dola

'rat-children', 'chuas' or 'mice' are children or adults suffering from microcephaly, exploited as beggars situated in Gujrat City and elsewhere in Pakistan. They have sloping foreheads, narrow faces which have a rodent quality and mental disabilities. 
 This activity was later misinterpreted with allegations of 'cranial deformation'. The abuse story has been examined and rebutted by British, Indian and Pakistani investigators, district officers, physicians and anthropologists. The natural occurrence of microcephaly, and innocent local customs of manipulating infants' heads for beauty, give explanation. However, some exploitation of people with microcephaly did happen and the government dealt with this in 1969. 
Rendua