SHANGLA, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – A heartbreaking case has surfaced from the Bisham area of Shangla, where an 11-year-old student of a local madressah was allegedly sexually assaulted by his religious teacher on Sunday evening. The incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for accountability and stronger child protection measures in religious and educational institutions.
According to Station House Officer (SHO) Syed Khurshid Ali, the child’s uncle filed a formal complaint, after which the police recorded the child’s statement. The minor reported physical and sexual abuse, and police confirmed they had received bloodstained clothes as part of the evidence. The accused teacher has been arrested, and a medical examination is underway.
Police authorities have confirmed that an FIR is being registered under Section 53 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection Act, a law specifically designed to address cases of sexual abuse against minors. An in-depth investigation is in progress.
This case is not an isolated one. According to Sahil’s Cruel Numbers 2024 report, over 3,364 cases of child abuse were reported last year from across Pakistan — a staggering number that includes sexual violence, kidnappings, child marriages, and disappearances. These figures represent only reported cases, highlighting a much larger, often silent epidemic of abuse.
