Pak cop files first complaint at madrasa

Even as Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf mulls over an “amicable” action to thwart the plans of militant clerics to impose Shariah laws in the country...

Even as Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf mulls over an “amicable” action to thwart the plans of militant clerics to impose Shariah laws in the country, a policewoman has become the first complainant at a madrasa, seeking help to deal with sexual harassment.

A day after the Jamia Hafsa madrasa and its mosque issued a deadline to the government to impose Shariah law, a policewoman on Saturday turned up at the seminary, which houses several hundred girls students, and “formally” lodged a complaint alleging sexual harassment by her male colleagues. She also met principal Maulana Abdul Aziz in this regard.

In her “complaint”, she alleged sexual harassment by her male colleagues and sought help to deal with it as all efforts to sort the problem through regular police channels failed.

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Following the policewomen’s complaint, the madrasa administration has launched a search to find the accused policemen, the Daily Times reported.

The complainant alleged that many police officials harassed her and other women officers sexually.

“We will not share details of the complaint because they can expose the complainant to danger,” Aziz said and refused to disclose her name.

Meanwhile, the trouble spread to Pakistan’s biggest city where madrasas are affiliated with the same education board as Jamia Hafsa.

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Lal Masjid is affiliated with the Wafaqul Madaris, which is a madrassa education board with members in Karachi. The largest madrasa in Karachi, Jamia Darul Uloom Islamia Allama Binori Town at Guru Mandir, is also a member of the board.

“The Jamia Hafsa people made their own policy according to the Quran and Sunnah but they did not consult us. They should have consulted the ulema. But in any case, this is a welcome move, Qari Mohammad Iqbal, in-charge general affairs, Jamia Darul Uloom Islamia Allama Binori Town was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Iqbal said the scholars were debating the issue of imposing Shariah law but the people of Karachi had nothing to be afraid of.