KARACHI: Taking notice of an incident where a child was allegedly torture by his teacher, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah vowed to hold a transparent inquiry and bear medical expenses for the student.
The Chief Minister directed his cabinet that the child be take abroad for treatment if the need arises.
Geo News on Friday aired story of a student from Larkana Cadet College who lost his senses due to alleged torture by a teacher.
After being strangulated, Mohammed Ahmed, 14, broke sensitive bones of his neck. He lost his speech and he suffered a paralytic attack which left his limbs motionless. He is on a liquid diet as he can neither digest nor chew solid food.
Ahmed’s father Ghullam Ahmed a teacher says that the incident occurred four months ago and a few teachers from his school are responsible for bringing his son to this state. “On August 6 just after school reopened after summer vacations I received a phone call from station master GM Bhatti saying that my son had suffered fits.”
He claims that when he reached the school his son was covered with injuries on his face, chest, head, back and lower limbs.
After failing to get satisfactory treatment from doctors in Larkana he came to Karachi where health experts pointed out that the condition had been caused due to assault.
His medical treatment is possible in the United States doctors have said, but his parents claim they don’t have the resources to take him there.
“I have six daughters, and I’ve spent all my savings on Ahmed,” Ghullam Ahmed wails.
Education Secretary Fazlullah Pechuho took notice of the incident after Geo News aired the story. He promised to form a medical board and bear expenses for the treatment. “A medical board will examine the child and then make arrangements for his treatment,” he said speaking to Geo News.
He also said that he had directed the DIG to register a case against the perpetrators.
The law makes any sort of corporal punishment in school illegal. Individuals found to be involved in corporal punishement would be sentenced to one year in prison or Rs 50,000 fine or both.
However, the practice remains entrenched in social norms of the country, with many teachers and parents believing corporal punishment a useful tool to discipline children.
