‘Unnatural acts’ : Minor boy abused by cleric
By Mudassir Raja
Published: August 2, 2011
"" Qari saab said that I, along with another boy had molested a third boy, and started beating me with electric wire and sticks," the victim Jamshed Azam.
RAWALPINDI: A 10-year-old seminary student was brutally tortured by his teacher, allegedly for refusing the teacher’s sexual advances.
Jamshed Azam*, the only boy among four siblings, has injuries and bruises on his buttocks and legs after he was allegedly tortured by his teacher, Qari Aamir, at Jamia Usmania Saudul Quran on Khyaban-e-Sir Syed, Rawalpindi.
“My son is unable to walk or sit properly after he was tortured on Sunday morning for the reasons best known by the teacher,” said Muhammad Azam*, the victim’s father.
“I sent my son to the madrassah to memorise the holy Quran, as he had already learn 20 chapters of the holy book by heart. I have complained to the Pirwadhai police against the torture and am waiting for legal action against the accused,” said Azam, who is a homeopath by profession.
Talking to The Express Tribune, the victim said, “qari saab said that I, along with another boy had molested a third boy. I denied the allegations, but the teacher refused to hear me and started beating me with electric wire and sticks.”
He accused the teacher of actually wanting to perform “unnatural acts” with him, “But when I refused, qari saab started torturing me.”
Azam said that his son’s medical report from Holy Family Hospital had confirmed the injuries and bruises, but an X-ray had yet to be taken to confirm any fractures.
On the other hand, Qari Aamir confirmed that he tortured the boy and admitted to making a mistake. However, he denied the allegations of trying to force the boy to perform any sexual act.
The seminary teacher said that a nine-year-old boy complained to him that Jamshed and another boy had ‘molested’ him, and Qari Aamir tortured both older boys to teach them a lesson.
In response to a question, he admitted he should not have tortured the boy as law and morality did not allow him to maltreat his students.
He further said that he had obtained pre-arrest bail from the area magistrate and would try to compromise with the victim’s parents.
When contacted, Pirwadhai Station House Officer (SHO) Malik Allah Yar said they had brought the matter on record for further action. However, he maintained that the law did not allow police to take strict action against the teacher unless the torture was “medically proven”.
The SHO further said the police had not yet received the medical report. He further said the complainant party could directly go to court for their redress.
Khalid Qureshi, the head of the madrassah administration, said he had ousted the accused Qari from the facility and he would never be allowed to teach there again.
Expressing concern over the torture of the young student, he said “elements” such as Qari Aamir would not be tolerated at the seminary.
The victim’s father is still appealing to higher authorities though, as he feels certain actions should be taken to protect young children and especially orphans studying at madrassahs, as the children are in no position to approach the police or complain about any maltreatment. *Names changed to protect the victim
Published in The Express Tribune, August 2[SUP]nd[/SUP], 2011.
Madrassa teacher flees after torturing 2 students for four months
By Hafiz Shahid Muneer
Published: August 4, 2011
“They told me my sons were spending the next four months at a different branch of the madrassah so I didn’t question it further,” said the boy’s father Naushera Vikran resident Abdul Shakoor.
GUJRANWALA: Police officials filed a case against a cleric who tortured two madrassah students for over four months.
According to police officials, a raid was conducted at the Faizan Madina Madrassah a week ago and police recovered two boys who had been locked in the cleric’s private quarters for over four months. “The boys were badly beaten and one of them had lost four fingers on his right hand,” Inspector Rana Ali said. “The boy said that his fingers had been cut off after the cleric accused him of theft,” he added.
On Tuesday, police officials filed a case against mosque leader Fida Hussain and are searching for his whereabouts.
Hussain held both boys for four months in his private quarters and beat them severely. When police officials received a tip-off regarding the boy’s condition, they raided the locality and recovered the boys.
“They told me my sons were spending the next four months at a different branch of the madrassah so I didn’t question it further,” said the boy’s father Naushera Vikran resident Abdul Shakoor. Shakoor said that his sons Fayaz, 11, and Sajjad, 14, had been studying at the madrassah for over six years.
Others at the madrassah told police officials that Hussain had told them the boys were with their parents.
“When we asked him where they were he said they were with their parents,” madrassah teacher Asghar said.
Fida Hussain held both boys over theft charges.
“He initially accused me and said that he would punish me for it even though I didn’t steal anything,” Fayyaz told police, adding “my brother was called in and he said that he was definitely also a thief because he was my brother.” Fayyaz and Sajjad and their family protested outside the police station for the arrest of Fida Hussain and Gurjakh police officials have registered a case.
“We have also deployed a guard at the madrassah to ensure he doesn’t return to the spot without our knowledge,” a police inspector said.
A medical officer at the DHQ hospital conducted a thorough medical check up for both boys and said that they had suffered long term abuse.
“The boys have been severely beaten and the bruises and gashes on their bodies are deep. They are also severely malnourished,” Dr Rasheed said. “I also suspect that they have been sexually assaulted but there is no DNA evidence in this regard,” he added.
Dr Rasheed said that Fayyaz had lost four fingers after they were lopped off by the cleric.
“I used to try and meet the boys but he kept telling me that the boys were not at the madrassah but were learning Arabic at a different branch. He said they had been sent there because they were very good students and it was a better branch,” Abdul Shakoor said.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 4[SUP]th[/SUP], 2011.
By Mudassir Raja
Published: August 2, 2011
"" Qari saab said that I, along with another boy had molested a third boy, and started beating me with electric wire and sticks," the victim Jamshed Azam.
RAWALPINDI: A 10-year-old seminary student was brutally tortured by his teacher, allegedly for refusing the teacher’s sexual advances.
Jamshed Azam*, the only boy among four siblings, has injuries and bruises on his buttocks and legs after he was allegedly tortured by his teacher, Qari Aamir, at Jamia Usmania Saudul Quran on Khyaban-e-Sir Syed, Rawalpindi.
“My son is unable to walk or sit properly after he was tortured on Sunday morning for the reasons best known by the teacher,” said Muhammad Azam*, the victim’s father.
“I sent my son to the madrassah to memorise the holy Quran, as he had already learn 20 chapters of the holy book by heart. I have complained to the Pirwadhai police against the torture and am waiting for legal action against the accused,” said Azam, who is a homeopath by profession.
Talking to The Express Tribune, the victim said, “qari saab said that I, along with another boy had molested a third boy. I denied the allegations, but the teacher refused to hear me and started beating me with electric wire and sticks.”
He accused the teacher of actually wanting to perform “unnatural acts” with him, “But when I refused, qari saab started torturing me.”
Azam said that his son’s medical report from Holy Family Hospital had confirmed the injuries and bruises, but an X-ray had yet to be taken to confirm any fractures.
On the other hand, Qari Aamir confirmed that he tortured the boy and admitted to making a mistake. However, he denied the allegations of trying to force the boy to perform any sexual act.
The seminary teacher said that a nine-year-old boy complained to him that Jamshed and another boy had ‘molested’ him, and Qari Aamir tortured both older boys to teach them a lesson.
In response to a question, he admitted he should not have tortured the boy as law and morality did not allow him to maltreat his students.
He further said that he had obtained pre-arrest bail from the area magistrate and would try to compromise with the victim’s parents.
When contacted, Pirwadhai Station House Officer (SHO) Malik Allah Yar said they had brought the matter on record for further action. However, he maintained that the law did not allow police to take strict action against the teacher unless the torture was “medically proven”.
The SHO further said the police had not yet received the medical report. He further said the complainant party could directly go to court for their redress.
Khalid Qureshi, the head of the madrassah administration, said he had ousted the accused Qari from the facility and he would never be allowed to teach there again.
Expressing concern over the torture of the young student, he said “elements” such as Qari Aamir would not be tolerated at the seminary.
The victim’s father is still appealing to higher authorities though, as he feels certain actions should be taken to protect young children and especially orphans studying at madrassahs, as the children are in no position to approach the police or complain about any maltreatment. *Names changed to protect the victim
Published in The Express Tribune, August 2[SUP]nd[/SUP], 2011.
Madrassa teacher flees after torturing 2 students for four months
By Hafiz Shahid Muneer
Published: August 4, 2011
“They told me my sons were spending the next four months at a different branch of the madrassah so I didn’t question it further,” said the boy’s father Naushera Vikran resident Abdul Shakoor.
GUJRANWALA: Police officials filed a case against a cleric who tortured two madrassah students for over four months.
According to police officials, a raid was conducted at the Faizan Madina Madrassah a week ago and police recovered two boys who had been locked in the cleric’s private quarters for over four months. “The boys were badly beaten and one of them had lost four fingers on his right hand,” Inspector Rana Ali said. “The boy said that his fingers had been cut off after the cleric accused him of theft,” he added.
On Tuesday, police officials filed a case against mosque leader Fida Hussain and are searching for his whereabouts.
Hussain held both boys for four months in his private quarters and beat them severely. When police officials received a tip-off regarding the boy’s condition, they raided the locality and recovered the boys.
“They told me my sons were spending the next four months at a different branch of the madrassah so I didn’t question it further,” said the boy’s father Naushera Vikran resident Abdul Shakoor. Shakoor said that his sons Fayaz, 11, and Sajjad, 14, had been studying at the madrassah for over six years.
Others at the madrassah told police officials that Hussain had told them the boys were with their parents.
“When we asked him where they were he said they were with their parents,” madrassah teacher Asghar said.
Fida Hussain held both boys over theft charges.
“He initially accused me and said that he would punish me for it even though I didn’t steal anything,” Fayyaz told police, adding “my brother was called in and he said that he was definitely also a thief because he was my brother.” Fayyaz and Sajjad and their family protested outside the police station for the arrest of Fida Hussain and Gurjakh police officials have registered a case.
“We have also deployed a guard at the madrassah to ensure he doesn’t return to the spot without our knowledge,” a police inspector said.
A medical officer at the DHQ hospital conducted a thorough medical check up for both boys and said that they had suffered long term abuse.
“The boys have been severely beaten and the bruises and gashes on their bodies are deep. They are also severely malnourished,” Dr Rasheed said. “I also suspect that they have been sexually assaulted but there is no DNA evidence in this regard,” he added.
Dr Rasheed said that Fayyaz had lost four fingers after they were lopped off by the cleric.
“I used to try and meet the boys but he kept telling me that the boys were not at the madrassah but were learning Arabic at a different branch. He said they had been sent there because they were very good students and it was a better branch,” Abdul Shakoor said.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 4[SUP]th[/SUP], 2011.
