School principal arrested for ‘harassing student’

Victim's father reported incident to education department officer, but no action was taken

KARACHI, PAKISTAN:

The principal of a private school in Saudabad, who had allegedly harassed a 10th-grade student, has been apprehended by the police, and a case has been filed against him. Initially, the victim's father reported the incident to an education department officer, but no action was taken. Subsequently, he informed the police about the situation.

According to Korangi district police chief SSP Hassan Sardar Niazi, upon receiving the report, he promptly ordered the arrest of the accused. The suspected, Azam, the principal of a girls' government school, was accused of engaging in inappropriate behaviour with students.

In the application filed by the victim's father, it was stated that the school principal would seat the girl by placing his hands around her waist or holding her hand in front of the class, which was deemed inappropriate. An investigation iis currently underway. Additionally, it was reported that another father, whose child had been victimised, had previously complained to the Education Department.

However, instead of addressing the complaint, the suspected principal allegedly resorted to threats. This included subjecting students to harsh punishments like making them stand in the sun for extended periods and threatening to hinder their matriculation. The police are continuing their investigation into this incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2023.