PESHAWAR, Sept 26: Five officials of City Government Higher Secondary School No 3 were transferred on Thursday after two inquiry committees confirmed abuse of students, a practice going on at the school for the last two decades.

Taking action on the inquiry reports, the district officer (male), School and Literacy, Ayaz Khan, issued transfer orders involving five officials, including two teachers.

Sources in the department confided to Dawn that the transfer was an initial measure as final action against the officials would be taken after deliberations on the finding were completed.

According to the office order, senior English teacher Mubarak Ahmad was transferred to Mashokhel Government High School, class teacher Abdul Qayyum to Sherkara High School, junior clerks Shahnawaz and Mohammad Humayun to government high schools in Pishtakhara, and watchman Baseer was transferred to Government High School Tarnab Farm.

These officials are stated to be members of the gang who was involved in sexual abuse of boys and used them as prostitutes.

Sources said both probe committees had confirmed that the students were subjected to sexual abuse by the gang members and were also sent outside the school for prostitution. One inquiry was conducted by a committee comprising parents and the other by a committee of three academicians.

One of the inquiry reports said the owners of hotels situated near the school had confirmed that boys in school uniform were brought to their hotels.

The students were subjected to corporal punishment or declared fail to force them into the immoral practice. The gang members also adopted other methods for luring the students in their group.