FAISALABAD: Police have registered a case against a female teacher of a state-run school and her husband, a traffic inspector, on charges of demanding donation from students and inciting them to Jihad.

The couple on the other hand terms the case fake and a punishment for raising voice against alleged corruption in the school.

Zahra Arshad, a teacher at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Chak 266-RB, submitted an application to police in the last week of January that she was not allowed to enter the school by security guard Mohammad Mushtaq who also misbehaved with her..

Next day, the guard submitted an application to the Khurrianwala station house officer that he had barred Zahra from entering the school premises as she was on medical leave till Jan 30.

Accused say case registered for raising voice against corruption

On Feb 14, Khurrianwala police registered a case (96/2015) against Mrs Zahra and her husband, Arshad Alvi, a traffic police inspector in Faisalabad, under Section 11-H of the Anti-Terrorism Act and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code with no arrest.

The FIR reads that Mrs Zahra, an SST teacher, taught Islamiat to students and preached Jihad during lectures. She was a fundamentalist and visited the residences of students to collect donation for Jihad, it claimed.

She was also accused of asking students to raise slogans in favour of Jihad. “She has also asked students to raise their hands for joining Jihad and go to heaven with her,” the FIR mentioned.

The accused teacher allegedly subjected the students to torture if anyone refused to chant slogans and provide donations for Jihad.

On being informed of torture on students, school principal Mrs Abida Chaudhary summoned the teacher and asked her about the issue. The FIRs reads, Mrs Zahra got infuriated and scuffled with the principal and a security guard present nearby.

The police were called which resolved the issue.

The FIR mentioned that Arshad Alvi, attached with the Jamatud Dawa, also threatened the school staff with dire consequences.

Following the registration of the case, Alvi was suspended from his service while services of his wife were surrendered to the education department.

Alvi submitted an application to different offices and said the school administration had obtained Rs250 to Rs500 from students of class IX and X on minor mistakes. The collection was made through the heads of classes, he alleged.

“My wife has taken up the issue with the principal and told her that some students could not pay fine for being poor.”

Fearing that my wife would file an application against the school administration, he said the principal employed different tactics for her (Zahra’s) transfer.

He alleged that the principal in connivance with Liaqat Ali, a sub-inspector of the Counter Terrorism Department, had prepared a report against them without any inquiry.

“The registration of the case has given us a mental pain and we have been facing problems in society,” Alvi said adding they (the couple) considered terrorism a curse and had no connection with any religious or political entity.

Sources said investigation into the case had yet to be initiated.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2015

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