Prayer leader confesses to assault on minor girl

During initial interrogation, Qari and his friend confessed to sexually abusing the child for over a month

HARIPUR: A local prayer leader has confessed to assaulting an 11-year old girl during interrogation, Hattar police station confirmed on Saturday.

Hattar police had picked up Qari Qammar Abbas and his friend Waqas on complaint of the victim’s mother. During initial interrogation, the Qari and his friend confessed to sexually abusing the child at various incidents for over a month.

According to police source, Shehla Yasir Mehmood told the police that she used to send her child, a grade three student, to a local mosque for learning the Holy Quran. However, the child was subjected to sexual assaults by the local Imam and his two friends in a room next to the mosque.

The perpetrators used to put a knife on her neck and threatened to kill her if she revealed the act to anyone.

Police said the account of sexual attack has also been verified by two eyewitnesses Imran and Ismail in the police station.

Police have registered cases against Qamar and Waqas and have arrested the Imam while his accomplice is still at large while the local station police officer added that we carried several raids for the arrest of third accused.

The parents of the minor have requested the police and court to make the culprits example for others, so that no one could dare to commit such crime against minors in future.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2019.