LAHORE: A sessions court on Tuesday granted interim pre-arrest bail to three sons of former Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) leader Mufti Azizur Rehman [accused of sexually abusing a student of his madressah] in a case of frustrating arrest of their father and extending threats to the complainant.

Latifur Rehman, Waseemur Rehman and Wasiur Rehman appeared before Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Naeem along with their lawyer.

The judge allowed pre-arrest bail to them till June 30 and also sought details of the case from the police.

North Cantonment police had registered a first information report on charges of sexual assault and criminal intimidation against Mufti Rehman on the complaint of Sabir Shah, the student of Jamia Manzoorul Islam, Cantonment.

The cleric went into hiding after the registration of the case as police arrested him from Mianwali on Sunday.

The cleric is already on physical remand with the police till June 25.

The student/complainant had shared a video clip of the sexual assault as a proof with police and the administration of the seminary. The clip took social media by storm with growing calls for strict action.

In his complaint the student alleged that Mufti Rehman got him and another student expelled on the charge of cheating in examinations of Wafaqul Madaris for three years.

He said he pleaded with the Mufti to allow him to take the examination by removing charges against him, but he sought sexual favours for doing so. “I had no option but to submit to his demand,” he said.

Jamia Manzoorul Islam had also expelled Rehman and his sons from the seminary on the basis of the complaint.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2021