Dawn reports that the Police have arrested a seminary teacher, for allegedly raping his two minor students and threatening them with dire consequences in case they revealed the crime.
According to Daira Din Pannah police, Jalal Din, a complainant claims in his application that his son and nephew aged between 10-12 years were studying at Madressah Yaseen at Chak No 143/ML for last few months.
He added that boys told him their teacher raped them at seminary and even warned them of torture if they spoke to others about it.
On receipt of complaint, the police registered an FIR against the suspect under section 376-iii, 377-B.
The Police mentioned that they had detained the accused while boys were referred to Dawn medical examination.
‘Cruel Numbers’ – report by Sahil (a non-governmental organization) and NCHR (National Commission for Human Rights) indicates alarming rate of child abuse in Pakistan. This year alone there were reported about 4213 such cases as per Geo News while Cruel Numbers circulated on its website regarding gender-based violence against children has also been published.
This comprehensive report encompasses several forms of child abuse inclusive sexual abuse, abduction, missing children and child marriages.
From a gender standpoint, out of total reported cases girls had been victimized at 53% compared with boys who constituted 47%.
Curiously enough though from the age range of six to fifteen is where majority victims are found; this is mostly evident through various figures indicating that more boys suffer than girls during these ages. It should be noted however that even babies as young as zero five years old are not exempted from sexual abuse according to Geo News analysis based on ‘Cruel Number’ report a well-known outlet covering issues related state/federal organizations worldwide.The categories of abusers featured in this report mainly points out acquaintances as main culprits before relatives then strangers, with women accomplices identified as marginal contributors. Geographically, Punjab has the highest number of cases at 75 percent, followed by Sindh (13%), Islamabad (7%) and KP and others shared a three-percent each.
The report ‘Cruel Numbers’ also revealed that 91% of all the reported cases had been registered with the police which shows that law enforcing agencies have played an active role in addressing this menace. Specifically, out of reported cases on child abuse, 2021 were gender specific terms with equal numbers for boys and girls. Shockingly enough however, there were sixty one murders after having sexual intercourse followed by rape and other violence against children in the year 2023 while 1833 children were abducted [Geo News]. Out of these Abduction (61), Missing Children (29) where majority victims are minor females since only two involved boys.
Apart from such instances of brutality towards minors NGOs monitored a total number of over 2184 cases involving children below eighteen years who either died or sustained injuries. Drowning accounted for most fatalities at 694 while accidents creating more than four hundred deaths occupied second position; then murder came next with two hundred eighty six; torture was fourth on board.
In addition to monitoring incidents regarding child abuse, the NGO compiled “Cruel Numbers” based on data from national newspapers in Pakistan Geo News reports.
