ISLAMABAD: The capital police on Wednesday registered a case at the Industrial Area police station against a teacher involved in the torture of differently-abled students at a special education centre in Sector H-9 whereas a lawmaker demanded the transfer of the centre from the human rights ministry to the education ministry.

The National Institute of Special Education located in H-9 should have been a part of the education ministry but former education minister Shafqat Mehmood committed a “blunder” and placed the institution under the administrative control of the human rights ministry, said Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice Mehnaz Akber Aziz while speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly.

The lawmaker said that she visited the centre to inquire about the issue which resulted in the suspension of the official involved in the torture. “All institutions meant for the differently-abled students should be made part of the education ministry,” she demanded and confirmed that the person involved in the incident has already been suspended.

According to the MNA, the next morning the official not only “physically tortured the students but also pulled them from their hair to wake them up”.

She added that relevant law will be used to prosecute the official.

Meanwhile, a source in the human rights ministry told Dawn that the individual involved in the torture is a warden as well as a teacher at the centre and has a few months left in his retirement.

Similarly, Federal Ombudsman Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi took a suo motu notice under Article 9(1) of the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman) order, 1983. A statement from the Ombudsman’s office said Mr Qureshi has asked the secretary of the Ministry of Human Rights to submit a comprehensive report regarding the said incident.

He also sought details on action taken against those responsible for this “inhumane treatment” and the management of the centre within one week, it added.

Meanwhile, a rights-based organisation working for persons living with disabilities has condemned the incident of corporal punishment and physical abuse.

It has urged the government to make rules for the ICT Disability Act for Persons with Disabilities 2021 to translate words into actions.

In a statement, Potohar Mental Health Association (PMHA) extended its grave concern regarding the unethical incident.

“Corporal punishment is connected to an array of damaging consequences for children’s emotional, mental, physical health and well-being and could lead to augmented antipathy and enactment of brutishness,” said PMHA Chief Executive Zulqurnain Asghar.

He further added that it was claimed that those were model institutions but the existence of such kind of malpractices was not acceptable. “There is a dire need of making rules of ICT Disability Act for Persons with Disabilities 2021 as a lot still needs to be done to translate words into actions,” he said.

He said that independent, non-judgmental sign interpreters should be made part of the inquiry to ensure that the perspective of students has been taken correctly.

“It is encouraging that the standing committee on human rights has taken notice of the incident and PMHA hopes that this will ensure a transparent inquiry to safeguard the children from any kind of abuse in special education institutions,” Mr Asghar, who is visually impaired, said.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2023