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Report: Pervasive Sexual Abuse of Children in Pakistan Seminaries
A new report suggests pervasive sexual abuse of children in Pakistan Islamic Schools or seminaries in which young students are being abundantly raped and abused by the clerics or Mavlavis.
The issue has been covered recently by a report of The Associated Press (AP) in which Kausar Parvin, mother of a victim says that her 9 year old child was raped by a religious cleric in the Kehrore Pakka.
The report also says that “sexual abuse is a pervasive and longstanding problem at madrassas in Pakistan, from the sunbaked mud villages deep in its rural areas to the heart of its teeming cities”. It further states “but in a culture where clerics are powerful, it is seldom discussed or even acknowledged in public”.
Based on interviews with the victims, their families, officials, aid agencies and documents of Pakistan Police, the issue is rarely prosecuted in the country.
According to two Pakistani officials who are cited on condition of anonymity due to fear from the powerful clerics, there are always sexual abuse inside madrassas and even the officials compared the situation of children sexual abuse to that of priests in Catholic Church.
The Pakistan Interior Ministry which is in charge of overseeing the seminaries has avoided to comment regarding the issue, despite repeated requests, the report notes.
At least 2 million student mostly from the poorest families who receive food and education for free are enrolled in more than 22,000 registered madrasas.
However, as stated in the report, there are thousands of unregistered madrasas like the one Parvin’s son was raped in, are operating in the country.
Officials at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) say 7,000 incomplete projects of the World Bank are at risk of destruction in Afghanistan. They call on the World Bank to resume the work of these projects.
According to them, discussions have been held with the World Bank about these projects, but there has been no result yet.
“7,000 incomplete projects are being destroyed, and if the work is not started, these projects will be destroyed. We ask the World Bank to resume the work of these projects as soon as possible,” said Noorul Hadi Adel, the spokesperson of MRRD.
Meanwhile, members of the private sector also ask international institutions to resume their work in Afghanistan.
According to the officials of this sector, with the start of these projects, job opportunities will be provided for thousands of people in the country.
“These projects create employment for our people and the country will grow a lot,” said Mirwais Hajizadeh, a member of the private sector.
However, economic experts stated if the work of these projects does not start soon, they will be destroyed and the investments made in them will be wasted.
Ten people have been killed and six others injured by floods in Helmand province in the past week, local officials said on Friday.
According to officials, seven of those were members of the same family, and they were killed in Kajaki district last night.
“Most of the people moved from vulnerable areas to high lands and mountains, and thanks Allah the number of casualties is low,” Sher Mohammad Vahdat, the head of information of the Directorate of Information and Culture in Helmand, said adding rescue teams and security forces have been dispatched to help people.
It is said that the telecommunication system has also been disrupted due to the effect of floods in Kajaki district. Floods have also destroyed thousands of acres of agricultural land.
Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, met with the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi and discussed issues related to Afghanistan, it was announced on Thursday.
During the meeting, Otunbayeva thanked India for “its critical humanitarian support and longstanding friendship for the Afghan people” and discussed the importance of regional and international cooperation to address prevailing challenges in Afghanistan, UNAMA said on X.
Jaishankar also said on X that the sides exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan.
“Underlined that India has provided wheat, medicines, pesticides and school supplies. Appreciate the role of UN agencies as partners in these endeavors,” he said.
IEA urges World Bank to resume work on 7,000 incomplete projects
Ten people killed by floods in Helmand
Rashid Khan threatens BBL pullout after Australia postpones Afghanistan T20I series
UN envoy meets Indian foreign minister to discuss Afghanistan
Traffic accident leaves one dead, four injured in Herat
ATN secures TV and digital rights to broadcast IPL 2024 in Afghanistan
Blinken meets with Saudi Crown Prince to discuss Gaza
Afghanistan and India play out goalless draw in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Dead body of Quran-burner found in Norway
ATN secures rights to produce, broadcast second season of KPL
Tahawol: China’s call for inclusive government in Afghanistan
Saar: UN’s report on poverty in Afghanistan discussed
Tahawol: Russia and Tajikistan hold joint military drills along Afghanistan border
Saar: Anti-corruption efforts & better public services discussed
Tahawol: Abdul Kabir’s recent remarks discussed
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