LAHORE: Muzizur Rehman and his five sons were indicted in a case pertaining sexual abuse of a madressah student.
A sessions court in Lahore indicted former Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) leader Mufti Azizur Rehman and his sons Ataur Rehman, Attiqur Rehman, Latifur Rehman, Altafur Rehman and Wasiur Rehman pleaded not guilty and decided to contest the trial.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Rana Rashid Ali directed the police to present the prosecution witnesses on Oct 18.
Mufti Aziz is still behind bars as his bail after arrest was dismissed by a judicial magistrate, while his sons had been released on bail. The Mufti approached the sessions court against the denial of his bail where his petition was still pending.
The 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 student had shared a video clip of the sexual assault as a proof with the police and the administration of the seminary.
In his complaint, the student alleged that Rehman got him and another student expelled for three years on charges of cheating in the examinations of Wafaqul Madaris. He claimed that the cleric sought sexual favours for restoration of his name and he had no option but to submit to his demand.
On the other hand, the cleric rejected the allegations as bogus and erroneous. He alleged that the complainant was hand in glove with his opponents at the seminary. He also called the video of the alleged incident doctored.
Mufti Aziz case has started a hot debate on social media after video leaks of three famous politicians, Muhammad Zubair, Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Asia Khattak of PTI and people are demanding equal treatment (punishment) for politicians involved in adultery. On social media, people have lambasted the dual containment policy of justice in which elite class gets a different treatment than ordinary people.
