Youth levels rape allegation against religious cleric in Lahore
A seminary student in Lahore has levelled rape allegation against a religious cleric in Johar Town area of Lahore, it emerged on Wednesday.
According to a first information report (FIR) filed at Nawab Town police station, a copy of which is doing rounds on social media, a boy approached police and informed that a religious teacher at a local seminary had raped him twice one year ago.
The FIR has been registered under Section 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
According to Section 377 of PPC, "Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than two years nor more than ten years, and shall also be liable to fine."
The complainant alleges that the accused had threatened him of dire consequences in case he told someone about the matter. He further informed the police that the accused had tried to abuse other children at the seminary as well.
The youth said he had brought the matter into the knowledge of few teachers and his father, and they had talked to the accused as well, but "they either felt threatened or were convinced that the teacher was innocent".
The FIR mentions that initially the victim was scared to share details of the incident because of his young age and the threats hurled by the cleric. However, the exact age of the victim has not been mentioned.
The latest incident comes in the wake of widespread outrage and demonstrations across the country protesting against the rape and murder of 6-year-old Zainab Amin in Kasur, whose body was recovered from a trash heap in the city.