Villagers who caught the accused handed him to the police after thrashing him publicly. Police and eyewitness said eight-year-old Maryam* was on her way to school when a prayer leader from the village mosque took the girl to the mosque after tempting her with sweets.
When he tried to molest her, the girl reportedly started shouting and crying which attracted the attention of passersby who barged into the mosque and caught the culprit red-handed. After beating him, they called the police who arrested the prayer leader.
A criminal case was also registered against him.
This was the second incident of sexual abuse in four days. Earlier, a seminary teacher allegedly raped a girl with the help of her friend in a moving vehicle.
(*Name has been changed to protect the victim’s identity)
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2014.
COMMENTS (22)
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Raping a girl is lesser issue than Blasphemy.
The future of Pakistan TTP.......!!!!
@Asif: Not only shame factor for the abused. Majorly its the religious fanaticism that has degraded the rule of law in this society, with a parallel justice system working in defiance to the constitution of the country. And sadly this parallel system is being supported by the masses giving impunity to these mullahs. I still remember very vividly the magazine from lsa that was shut down because of serious heat from this very mullah community of our country, when the magazine displayed art that highlighted this very rampant social evil in our mullah community.
If law is enforced, these paedophiles and rapists become examples! But failure of law enforcement only half hearted even if its reported, if you follow this news after few months will know either victim forced to withdraw or did not follow through, or culprit bought his way out by having no evidence or courts dragged the case so long into archive and criminal released on bail to commit more crime! That approach actually let people to roam fear free and commit crime again!
"kur kur azaanaan ou dende, neeyaataan jinaan ni khoti" - Bhulle Shah.
English translation; "the most ostentatious prayer callers are the ones with darkest and worldly intentions". I hope I was right in translation.
In my opinion the punishment for rape needs to be changed. Chop off the offending organ. Then release the man to continue his work. Later make a video where he is confronted by the victim. Sentencing to life and hanging is too easy a punishment.
Praying to God doesn't make one godly.It only forces such people to start acting like God(well , Demon really).This kind of news is becoming so common in Pakistan now. Maulvis need to be put in their place by the common man.They have started interfering in every sphere of life ,and have affected it to the worst.Specifically,they shouldn't have any role in politics.It only leads to extremism,and militancy.
Bacha Bazi is in our culture it happens in majority of religious schools but the only reason is no one wants to come forward cause of shame factor and these sexual predators get away with crime easily they should be sentenced to life .
Can't you him "Mullah" in stead of "Prayer Leader" .
It has nothing to do with the way prayers leaders are selected or the registration of madrassas...these things happen in the most developed countries were evreything is regulated. Its just a state of mind or lack of it. We should just pray to Allah that he never put such madness into our head or give us will and power to fight it. In regards to those who commit such crime be dealt with the rule of law and punished accordingly and never be allowed to deal with young children in the future.
Shameful Silence of the mullahs on their rapes of minors, as well as their killings of innocents, suggests that both are permissible in the religion they follow.
May Allah save us all from the "Mallah", the first in line to want to kill in the name of religion but this is their reality.
I think there is a real problem. Most of the "Molvis" are living a kinda unnatural life. For social and cultural reasons , they have adopted a certain lifestyle which unavoidably leads to such behavior.Instead of demonizing them , we should help them acquire a normal life style.
Pakistan really knows how to give Islam a bad name.
@Ali: Spot on Sir.
In a mosque!!! Have these people forgotten that they would be judged one day......
This will never stop until the govt. regulates the mosques and madressahs. Who gets appointed as the prayer leader must be regulated in this country or else we will not have any future, let alone a bright one.
there should be some criteria in selection of prayer leaders
he should be stonned to death
Death Sentence!!