A seminary student was hospitalised after being tortured by his teacher in Tehsil Ghazi on Sunday.
Thirteen-year-old Waqas Khan was allegedly hung from his feet, beaten with sticks, and repeatedly burnt with hot iron rods for two days by his seminary teacher, who accused him of stealing his mobile phone.
The boy’s father, Dilawar Khan, however, has pardoned the perpetrator on request of a local jirga, according to police and family sources.
Khan, a local nanbai of Ghara village, said he was informed by a student of Madressa Jamia Mohsnia Rizviya Ahyaul Uloom on Saturday that his son was being subjected to severe corporal punishment. When Khan reached the seminary he found his son lying unconscious, beaten and bruised. He said the seminary administration was reluctant in allowing him to take his son to the hospital, but ceded when he protested.
Waqas was admitted to Tehsil Headquarter Hospital, where doctors confirmed that the boy was physical tortured. The hospital’s medical officer, Dr Ayaz, said the boy carries burn marks and bruise all over his body.
When Waqas regained consciousness, he narrated his ordeal, saying that his seminary teacher lost his temper after losing his mobile phone and began accusing him of stealing it. He said his teacher disrobed him and hung him upside down, and repeatedly punched him, beat him sticks and metal bars, and burnt him with hot iron rods trying to make him confess to a crime he did not commit. He said he told the teacher that he did not steal his phone but the teacher was adamant on holding him responsible, he said sobbingly. He vowed never to resume his studies at the seminary.
The boy was tortured for two days before one of his classmates informed his brother-in-law, who then told his father. The accused was arrested but later released by Senior House Officer of Ghazi police station on grounds that the family did not register a criminal case against him.
Human rights activist, Advocate Khursheed Khan, condemned the incident and demanded legal action against the seminary teacher. He alleged that the boy’s poor family was forced into pardoning the perpetrator under pressure and called for probing the incident.
When the boy’s father was asked why he pardoned the teacher, he said, “What else could I have done when everybody was out to support the influential teacher”.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2012.
COMMENTS (11)
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Ah the "religion of peace" strikes again.....wonderful.
That's the true Islam
Saddened and shocked by this news. I wish that all children in Pakistan had access to decent schools and not have to be subjected to abuse by psychotics in madrassas. Defects of a jirga systment are obvious if it "pardons" a crime against a defenceless child.
the local govt., and if not the supreme court should take suo moto action...the "teacher" should be asked on what basis he thinks action like this is justified against a defenceless kid...and the jirga should be asked why the "teacher" should not face punishment...the "teacher's" actions are atrocious and the jirga's ruling truly odious, incomprehensible and barbaric...siding with the torturer rather than the victim...shows a bully's mentality on part of both the teacher and the jirga
I can read the word 'Allah' in arabic on the boy's back. Subhan'Allah it's a miracle, not punishment!
Corporal Punishment should banned all across Pakistan and South Asia.
Asian teachers in schools and seminaries have a habit of hitting their students.
What kind of people can do that to a kid?
Say no to religion.
Yes, the culprit should be arrested, and brought before justics, and be made a lesson for other such oppressors in Madrassas.
Father's pardon does not condone the crime. No out of court settlement in such crimes. It is a crime against the state. Arrest the culprit and let him go through the justice system.