Punjab

Prayer leader arrested on allegations of sexual assault

Maulvi Haq Nawaz accused of impregnating 15-year-old girl.

Express November 25, 2010

MULTAN:

A prayer leader and his son in Khawaja Gharib Nawaz area were arrested on Tuesday on allegations of sexual assault.

They would be presented before the court on Thursday (today) to seek their physical remand.

15-year-old Saira* said that she was regularly abused by Maulvi Haq Nawaz and his son Sajid.

She used to go to the masjid to learn Quran from Nawaz. She told her parents about the incident after she became pregnant who then arranged an abortion. Saira’s parents consulted their neighbours and caught the prayer leader and his son and handed them over to the police. Setal Mari police station house officer Akhtar Hussain told The Express Tribune that they have registered a case against the two and were investigating them. Quoting the girl’s neighbours, he said that Nawaz and his son admitted to sexually assaulting her on being beaten up.

“The girl came to the police station with her parents and neighbours. I’ll make sure that if Nawaz is guilty he gets the harshest possible sentence,” he said.

Hussain said that Nawaz’s son seemed to be innocent in the whole issue, adding that this was only his impression and a conclusion could only be made after complete investigations.

The police have sent Saira’s blood samples to the Civil Hospital Multan for tests to ascertain her claims. The report would be available to the police on Thursday (today).

*The name of the victim has been changed to protect her identity

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (37)

AQ | 13 years ago | Reply @Mehvish: the answer is yes. 15 year old can be pregnant.

mak | 13 years ago | Reply all perverts should be decimated. .saudi arabia recently hung three Pakistani Dawn news) for robbing & raping a single woman .very correct law to rape .

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Aftab Kenneth Wilson | 13 years ago | Reply Verdict from all citizens: If found guilty, the part most disturbing this person must be "Chopped Off" and tossed towards Eagles. What is happening in Punjab ? Even three women were forced to dance whole night by the Police on a song "Munni Badnam Hue" which has also been reported in your news paper. Where is our nation heading ???? There are also various other cruel and unique type of demands from our so called religious and political leaders in Asia case of Blasphemy which needs a revisit by all who matter most both in legislative assemblies and Judiciary so that all may live and work like a tolerant society. We all know what type of corruption and fear is what one witness both in Police departments/agencies and the lower judiciary. People often take law in their own hands without knowing the consequences on the international level. In each and every case all fingers are pointed towards our country that we have become a totally "Intolerant Society". Tax thieves, water thieves, electricity thieves, gas thieves and the list is unending. Even our state pillars are in loggerheads with each other and the media is only playing with the sentiments of our more than half-qualified population. "Sub BhaanT BhaanT ki BoliyaN Bool Rhay heiN".

JournalistLHR | 13 years ago | Reply Dear reporter and the readers dont forget the ground realities. We are living in Pakistan (a Muslims' country NOT Islamic Country). Not only our Molvi but the politicians, Generals, Mr., and so on are involved in treachery. So why only the Molvi is a target?? What about the incident that took place in Punjab University by a Professor? What about the allegations against the Army of raping Dr. Shazia in Balochistan??? Hope not to see my comments unedited on this website :) The Free Media........... The media is only Free against dishonouring Islam...

Disco Molvi | 13 years ago | Reply @ Nina: Please stop defending pedophile prayer leader by comparing it with abuse of young boys by the priests of the Catholic church in the West(by the way what do you mean by West here? Middle East is also in West of Pakistan mind you). Never once in your post have you condemned the actions of the rapist!! ADMIT THAT IT'S THE PRAYER LEADERS FAULT, NOT THE GIRL'S!!! Shouldn't this mullah be tried for committing Blasphemy by raping inside a Masjid? A MASJID!! Oh and please don't give a false exalted status to Beard. Beard is not synonymous to being pious or Islamic. Christians, Jews, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, heck even Atheists sport a beard!! Abu Jahl had a beard, does that make him pious and Islamic? Pharaoh in the time of Moses had a beard, does that make him pious? Salman Rushdie has a beard, he's pious too then I think for following the Sunnah!! Nowadays the psychology behind sporting a beard is to look pious and get away with being a sinner!! P.S I've a beard too.

Nazir Habib | 13 years ago | Reply Nina your comments are down to earth and to the point. The Quran Kareem says that satan and his tribe lurk in places you cant imagine. Reading, understanding and practicing what the Quran Kareem says is unfortunately not in our daily regimen. The sad part is, now a days many men think that the gateway to being a "momin" / "muslim" is to grow a beard. The question then arises "What is Taqwa?" All parents must in future make their girls study at home or go to a madressah which is about a couple of yards away from home but after taking the trouble to make neccessatry inquiries. What is done is done. Now the molvi and his son must face the people. Justice delayed is justice denied. May ALLMIGHTY ALLAH shower his mercy on the girl. Salams and best wishes.

Syed | 13 years ago | Reply if aasia bibi is getting death sentence then these two must be punished too as per islamic law.

Ali Zaidi | 13 years ago | Reply Amazing how most have jumped to the conclusion that Haq Nawaz and, as some comments suggest, all Imams/Maulvis/Bearded men are guilty by default. The men, if proven guilty, should be punished and indeed made an example of, no matter what their social status/occupation. If its a false allegation the girl should be held accountable, no matter how young she is.

SA | 13 years ago | Reply @ Nina, spot on. I agree to every word of yours.

Ali khan | 13 years ago | Reply If found guilty the prayer leader should handed over the Islamic punishment which is stoning. And if his son also found guilty then he should be be lashed. It is avery sad incident if true. May Allah guide us all Ameen!.

SUB | 13 years ago | Reply Disgusting; the criminal once proven should be set as an example

Munazza sami | 13 years ago | Reply @Mehwish m Speech less on your INNOCENCE...huh

Rizwan T Khan | 13 years ago | Reply hahahaha@mehwish. Lady sure she can. Even a 11 yr old can be depending on her harmonal growth. West is full of such cases.

Nadir Ur Rehman | 13 years ago | Reply It is really a shameful situation and has degraded the name of Islam and Pakistan in particular and that of humanity in general. such people should be punished without any hesitation.

Talat | 13 years ago | Reply Sending a 15 years old girl to a maulavi was not a good idea. Such incidents regularly happen in Pakistan.

Mohammed Abbasi | 13 years ago | Reply He can always claim the little girl blasphemed and that should get the great Pakistani public supporting him!

Buspur | 13 years ago | Reply Shame on you. U r all the same...

Nooruddin Jalal | 13 years ago | Reply I am ashmed of reading this horrible news item. All these hypocrites should be punished for their crimes and the Paki society should be free from them.

Ghausia | 13 years ago | Reply @mehvish I think you should ask mummy to explain the birds and the bees to you.

Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply Mehvish, you can become pregnant even if you are 10.

nina | 13 years ago | Reply The first fault lies with the parents, because why would anyone send their 15 yr old daughter who is past puberty to be taught Koran by men? Islam teaches us that our daughters are very precious and we should protect them, because no matter how good a society is, there will always be satan in some people's hearts. There are so many women who can teach. Secondly, when the assault or misbehaviour of these men first started, why then didn't the girl raise her voice and quit going to the Madrassa, why did she wait until she became pregnant (or did she become pregnant after the first assault)? A 15 yr old is no baby and should know better not to continue attending the masjid under such circumstances.. @Naeem Chaudry,..I find your comment to be very immature and irresponsible. Insulting the beard which is the sunnah of our beloved prophet (saw). What about all those other men who rape and are not Maulvis or have beards? Whether beard or no beard, may Allah give all of us hidayat! Look at the great number of abuse of young boys by the priests of the Catholic church in the West? These priests were considered men of God, but they betrayed the trust of those that they mentored. By the way none of them had beards!

Habiba Younis | 13 years ago | Reply The prime fault lies with such parents who handover their kids to these self proclaimed 'men of religion'.

Disco Molvi | 13 years ago | Reply No prayer leader can commit such a crime, the rape is the work of agents of CIA, RAW, Mossad!! @Mehvish Please don't find excuses for your pedophile prayer leader. I'm quite baffled at your inquiry, considering that you're a woman (are you?) Being a undergrad med student I can tell you that, yes a 15 year old girl can get pregnant, it doesn't require a gynecologist to know. I could elaborate the sexual maturity onset in females for your understanding but I'm sure it'll be deemed too explicit to be mentioned here. here is a link for your elementary level understanding. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puberty#Physicalchangesin_girls

UmEr | 13 years ago | Reply Nadeem Zafar, Sharia'ah law, the law of ALLAH and His Messenger [S.A.W] is very just. If proven guilty, This Maulvi will be punished accordingly and his Son will most probably get the same punishment if he's adult as yet.

maz | 13 years ago | Reply @Mehvish Plz check the link below i guess it will answer ur question http://www.persecutionbd.org/news/bangladeshi-juvenile-girl-get-pregnant-by-muslim-cleric/

maz | 13 years ago | Reply @Mehvish Plz check the link below i guess it will answer ur question http://thenewschronicle.com/10yearold-birth/110409203/

NAdir | 13 years ago | Reply @Mehvish: Are you kidding? You dont think that a 15 year old can be pregnant?

Riasat Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Although It is very sad but all parents who send their children for religious education to Mosques and Madrassah are fully responsible to facilitate this crine. To learn Quaran and Hadith can easily be arranged at home and under their supervision. Unfortunately in our society most parents chose schools/colleges with high reputation but Quranic education is treated as very simple or not necessary to enjoy better lifestyle. In villages and small sub-urbs poor parents, with no choice, prefer uses Madrasah/Mosques. In both cases, such incidents earn bad reputation for our Imams as well as Mosques and Islamic Institutions, sorry to say even like Lal Masjid - which was simply a Masjid but used for many other causes.

barlas | 13 years ago | Reply If guilty than give islamic punishment of (sangsar)..................

Malik Sanaullah | 13 years ago | Reply after reading this news i just want to make a request to all parents that being Muslim its our duty to give education our children, but please make sure that where they are sending their children they are trustworthy people, One more thing which i want to bring in your notice is that being Muslim its our duty to at least give our daughters Quran Taleem at home. regards,

Nadeem Zafar | 13 years ago | Reply What is Sharia's guidance for processing this case?

Mehvish | 13 years ago | Reply Dear... plz is there any gynacologist who could tell that wether 15 yrs old girl be pregnant??? its a joke....

naeem chaudhry | 13 years ago | Reply have beard,will rape,will easily get away with rape.

muhammad imran soomro | 13 years ago | Reply just because this guy has a beard he'll get away with raping a minor.In our country if you don't shave,know how to speak a few words in a foreing language you can get away with anything including raping children as every1 in pakistan is scared of confronting a maulvi. Their opinion isn't challenged,their bigotry,homophobia & misogyny not confronted as the maulvis will immediately label you a kafir,an enemy of islam or a qadiani & you'll face social ostracization if not having your throat slit amid shouts of "Allah hu akbar"

muhammad aftab | 13 years ago | Reply why don't the tv channels cover this instance of rape of a minor?? the maulvi & his son won't even know what paedophilia is because to them a girl of 9 is ok to have sex with. why don't any of our female anchors or bloggers raise the issue of paedophilia sanctioned by religion?? too many of our male population is ok with the idea of committing paedophilia & our depraved maulvis give these pervert religous cover.

Ramzan Ali | 13 years ago | Reply These people should be punished........ When there be Justice for these innocent girls who are being sexually harressed......

ABDUL KADER HAJEE AHMED | 13 years ago | Reply If true, the Maulana should be mauled.

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