A religious teacher, known as a qari in local lingo, was arrested on Monday after he was caught while trying to rape an eight-year-old girl in the neighbourhood of Wah Cantonment.
According to the first information report (FIR) registered with local police by the victim’s father, his daughter had gone to her religious teacher’s house to learn the holy Quran. A few minutes into the lesson, the molvi tried to rape her but stopped when she started screaming.
He then threatened her with dire consequences if she told anyone about the incident, advising her to keep it a secret. However, the girl told her family about the incident when she returned home.
When the victim’s mother went to the suspect’s house after learning about the incident, other women from the area gathered there and claimed that the qari had also sexually assaulted their sons and daughters, but they had kept mum about it in fear of losing their dignity.
It is pertinent to mention here that the culprit’s brother, who has been identified as Akhtar Hussain, also teaches students.
