A cleric was arrested in Karachi on Sunday over allegations of raping his 14-year-old student, said Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) East Dr Samiullah Soomro.

A student of Madressahtul Uloom on Sunday informed Gulistan-i-Jauhar police that his teacher had sexually abused him on Friday night inside the madressah, following which a first information report (FIR) was registered under Section 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), Dr Soomro said.

Section 377 relates to "unnatural offences" defining them as "voluntarily [having] carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal."

The accused was arrested within seven hours of the report being filed, SSP East said, adding that the medical test of the boy showed he had been raped.

The SSP has announced a Rs10,000 cash award for Sharea Faisal Assistant Superintendent Police (ASP) Hamza Amanullah and his team.

The latest incident comes in the wake of widespread outrage and demonstrations across the country protesting against the rape and murder of 6-year-old Zainab Amin in Kasur, whose body was recovered from a trash heap in the city earlier this week.

As the country reeled from Zainab's murder, the body of a 15-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and murdered was recovered from a field in Tasawarabad, some 40km off Sargodha on Thursday.

Opinion

Editorial

Iran stalemate
Updated 02 May, 2026

Iran stalemate

THE US and Iran are currently somewhere between war and peace. While a tenuous ceasefire — extended largely due to...
Tax shortfall
02 May, 2026

Tax shortfall

THE Rs684bn shortfall in tax collection during the first 10 months of the fiscal year is a continuation of a...
Teaching inclusion
02 May, 2026

Teaching inclusion

DISCRIMINATORY and exclusionary content in Punjab’s textbooks has been flagged in Inclusive Education for a United...
Water vision
01 May, 2026

Water vision

WATER insecurity in Pakistan has been building up for decades as per capita water availability has declined from...
Vaccine policy
01 May, 2026

Vaccine policy

PAKISTAN has finally approved its first National Vaccine Policy; a step the health ministry has rightly described as...
Labour rights
Updated 01 May, 2026

Labour rights

THE annual observance of May Day should move beyond statements about the state’s commitment to the rights of...