A 14-year-old student at a religious seminary in Kot Momin, Sargodha, has died under suspicious and violent circumstances, sparking public outrage and prompting a murder investigation.
According to Kot Momin police, the student, Muhammad Asif, had been enrolled for three years at Madrassa Sadidiya Moazzamiya Moazzamabad, where he was memorizing the Quran. Asif hailed from Mauza Kalor Sharif, Tehsil Lalian, in the Chiniot district.
The boy’s family was reportedly called by madrassa staff and told he was in critical condition. However, by the time they arrived, Asif was already dead, lying inside an ambulance. Authorities confirmed that his body bore a noose around the neck and multiple signs of physical violence.
His remains were shifted to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital for postmortem to determine the precise cause of death. A murder case has been registered at Kot Momin Police Station on the complaint of the boy’s father, and investigations are ongoing.
Second Alleged Torture Case in a Month Raises Alarm
This is the second reported case in recent weeks involving alleged torture of madrassa students. Just last month, a 12-year-old boy, Farhan, died in Khwazakhela tehsil, Swat, after allegedly being beaten by teachers for missing classes.
Police arrested three primary suspects—madrassa head teacher Muhammad Omar and his sons Ehsanullah and Abdullah—after an FIR was filed. Additionally, seven more teachers were charged based on complaints from other students.
The tragic recurrence of such incidents has ignited serious concerns over student safety and the lack of oversight in religious seminaries. Authorities have vowed to pursue the cases rigorously.
