Teacher detained for alleged child abuse

Villagers staged a protest demonstration outside the school building upon hearing about the schoolteacher's alleged abuse of female students. They alleged that a teacher indecently exposed himself to his students by forcing them to watch porn videos and sexually abusing them.

The villagers during their protests alleged that the schoolteacher, Ghulam Sabir, used to stop the girls after school timings under the pretext of cleanliness, before attempting to commit obscene acts and alleged abuse by showing pornographic videos from his mobile phone.

The incident came to light when the girls went home and told their parents about what the teacher would do to them when they were kept behind after school.

Following footage of the parents' protest on social media, DPO Faisal Gulzar took notice of the incident and ordered SHO Cantt Police Station Ali Raza to arrest the accused immediately, ordering him to go to the area himself and investigate. Okara Cantt police station reached the spot and arrested the teacher, who was suspended from his post by CEO Education.

Government Primary School, located in Village 20 4L on the outskirts of Cantt, is an institution where male and female students study together. At the behest of the girls, the villagers gathered and surrounded the school, demanding to arrest the teacher immediately and bring him to justice.

While the protests were ongoing and police were en route to the location, Ghulam fled the scene.

Police immediately tracked and arrested the accused and an FIR was registered at Okara Cantt police station.

DPO Faisal Gulzar, while talking to Express Tribune, said that this was a very inhumane incident and the treatment the girls endured is intolerable. If the allegations of what Ghulam did to the girls turn out to be true, then the accused will be given severe punishment.

The villagers are expecting justice from the authorities for an incident of this nature. However, in spite of the deplorable nature of the crime, it is unlikely the perpetrators will see justice.

As covered by The Express Tribune in 2021, a report from the Sahil NGO stated that over 1,700 children were targets of sexual assault during 2020 across Punjab, the highest number of child assaults across the entire country.

The report also cited the need for greater awareness of the threat to children, as well as child safety cells within the police. The incident in Okara is a microcosm of a bigger problem threatening Pakistan’s youth.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2022.