Islamabad, Jan 15 (IANS) A madrassa teacher in Manghopir area of Pakistan’s Karachi, who reportedly assaulted a six-year-old boy, who later succumbed to his injuries, has been granted bail, the local media reported on Thursday. The child’s uncle said that the teacher also tried to justify the assault by asserting that the child was being mischievous, a report has stated.
An editorial in leading Pakistani daily ‘The Express Tribune’ mentioned, “According to police reports, the child suffered a fractured skull after being struck with a stick and later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. The teacher, however, secured bail and was able to leave police custody. Not only that, but the teacher also attempted to justify the assault by asserting that the child was being mischievous, claims the child’s uncle.”
The incident showcases an uglier reality of teaching institutions in Pakistan and how teachers take advantage of the misguided trust that parents place in them. Violence is normalised, used and defended under the guise of discipline.
“When a fractured skull can be brushed aside as a response to ‘mischief’, it becomes clear that the rot lies deep within the structure itself. Karachi has witnessed similar cases before,” the Express Tribune mentioned.
Several similar incidents have been reported in Pakistan’s Karachi in recent years, where teachers were accused of severe corporal punishment and even sexual assault. Some cases became known only after videos surfaced online or when children were admitted to hospital with visible injuries.
The SHO Manghopir has said that efforts will be made to re-arrest the accused teacher, with added charges, including murder. However, this development only showcases corrective action and how reactive the system seems, the newspaper highlighted with justice seeming to move only after irreversible loss and media highlighting the incident.
–IANS
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