Pakistan: 70-Year-Old Lahore Cleric Booked For Sexually Assaulting Student After ‘Molestation’ Video Clip Goes Viral

In a shocking development, the Lahore police have registered a case against an Islamic cleric, identified as Mufti Azizur Rehman, after a video clip of him sexually assaulting one of his students was widely shared on social media, reports ANI.

The case has been registered against Rehman, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s vice ameer in Lahore, at the North Cantt police station on the complaint of the victim. The 70-year-old has been booked under Section 377 (unnatural offences) and Section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

As per the First Information Report accessed by the newspaper daily Dawn, the victim has stated that he got admission to the Jamia Manzoorul Islamia in 2013.

He added that during the exams, Rehman had accused him and another student of cheating by having someone else take the exams for them.

"Over this, I was also banned from giving exams at the Wafaqul Madaris for three years," he said in the complaint.

He said that he pleaded with him but he was unmoved. However, later the accused suggested that he might be able to help if the victim engaged in sexual activities. The victim added that he had no choice but to be subjected to sexual assault.

"Mufti Rehman claimed that the ban would be removed and that he would also pass me in the exams. But despite a passage of three years, during which I was assaulted every Friday, he did nothing and started to blackmail me more," he said.

The victim further alleged that the madrassah's administration refused to believe him even after his complaints, saying that Mufti Rehman was an "elder and a pious man". Moreover, they accused him of giving a false statement.

After this, the victim started recording the abuse and showed it to Wafaqul Madaris al Arabia nazim. "After this Mufti Rehman started threatening me with dire consequences as well as my life," he said.

It was due to these audio and video recordings that the Madrassah administration removed the cleric. However, the said move angered Rehman and he, along with his sons, started threatening the young victim.

The disturbing video, which surfaced a couple of days ago, stirred up a storm on social media as citizens called for action to be taken against the JUI-F leader. However, the cleric has pleaded his innocence in a video message claiming that the victim had drugged him due to which he was not in his senses.