December 22, 2003	Monday	Shawwal 27, 1424

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PESHAWAR, Dec 21: The regional directorate of human rights, ministry of law, Justice and Human Rights, has requested legislators, prison authorities and other authorities concerned to register an FIR against employees of a local school involved in sexual abuse of students.

In a letter sent to the secretary, NWFP Assembly, secretary schools and literacy and the IGP, NWFP, an official of the directorate, M.H.Khan Kahttak stated: “The national press has been highlighting the ... crime from time to time, while no stern action appears to have been taken as yet, including registration of FIR against those involved in unethical activities”.

The ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights also shown concern about this state of affairs, the letter stated.

“It will be highly appreciated if FIRs are registered against all those proved to have been involved in the ... crime so that such activities could be effectively discouraged in all the educational institutions,” the official stated. The letter was sent by the directorate on Dec 9.

It is learnt that after the appearance of a news item on Nov 16 regarding non-registration of an FIR against the culprits involved in the sexual abuse of students in Government City Higher Secondary School No3, the Human Rights Wing of the Law, Justice and Human Rights Division on Dec 2 sent a letter along with the press clipping to the regional directorate with the directives that necessary action should be taken in this regard. That letter was sent by a section officer of the wing, Ms Humaira Munir.

Sources in the NWFP Assembly said that in connection with the said two letters, the MPA, Habibur Rehman, chairman of the sub- committee of the assembly on schools and literacy has summoned meeting of the committee on Dec 22.

The committee had earlier conducted an inquiry and proposed that an FIR could be registered against the culprits. However, despite the passage of about two months the NWFP government has yet not registered the case and has only suspended the five officials concerned.

Apart from the chairman, members of the sub-committee are MPAs, Ms Farah Aqil Shah, Mukhtiar Ali and Khalid Waqar Chamkani.