BAHAWALNAGAR: A government school teacher proved guilty of harassing and assaulting schoolgirls in a departmental probe has succeeded to save his skin by allegedly pressurising the complainant family.

A regular inquiry initiated against him under the PEEDA Act also has been postponed owing to political intervention, Dawn has learnt.

The Minchinabad police on April 4 booked a teacher of the Government Model Primary School (GMPS) on the charge of harassing a nine-year-old schoolgirl.

A departmental probe was initiated against him under the supervision of AEO Waseem Ahmad on April 5.

On April 11, the probe report, a copy of which is available with Dawn, accused the teacher of harassing and assaulting not only the aforementioned girl but also several other girls enrolled in the school. The report said a group of eight to nine students (boys and girls) were often forced to stay in the classroom after school hours on threats of punishment and the teacher would then harass the girls.

Probe under Peeda Act against him has been postponed

The report claimed that a number of girl students told the committee members that they were often obnoxiously touched. It said the victim’s mother confirmed that her daughter was being harassed by the teacher and several other students, their parents and people of the area also levelled the same allegation against the suspect.

The probe report revealed that the teacher was not only involved in visiting porn sites on the official tablet during school hours but he also forced the girl students to see these sites. It while declaring the teacher responsible for this disgusting act recommended the authorities to punish him strictly.

On the basis of the report, a regular departmental inquiry was held on April 22 against the teacher under Peeda Act, which was to be finalised from seven to 30 days. However, it had been postponed on alleged political intervention, a senior education officer told Dawn.

He said the family had withdrawn the police case against the suspect.

He said efforts were also being made to delete the data from the tablet which was an irrefutable evidence against the teacher.

He claimed the teacher was a habitual offender and had been involved in assaulting minor girls in the past. However, he had succeeded in saving his skin by pressurising the families.

The Minchinabad police said the teacher’s bail was confirmed because the complainant had withdrawn his complaint.

A relative of the victim said the family had been forced to withdraw the complaint.

DEO Yasmeen and the CEO Education did not attend calls or reply to text messages.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2022