Pak teacher arrested for sodomising student

A retired teacher has been arrested for allegedly sodomising a 10-year-old boy at his coaching centre in Pakistan's Southern Sindh province, a senior police official said on Saturday.

Sarang Shar was arrested after some videos and pictures surfaced on social media showing the retired teacher sexually assaulting the student, who had joined his coaching centre as schools remained closed due to COVID-19.

"Sarang Shar is a very influential man in the area as his son is an office bearer of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and in the past despite several complaints he has escaped from being arrested for his wrongdoings," said Raza Hasan, a lawyer who highlighted the issue on social media.

Shar is suspected of having carried out a series of sexual assaults in the past and making videos of his young victims and putting them on the internet to blackmail them.

Senior police official Aamir Magsi said an FIR had been lodged against the teacher who carried out the heinous acts at his coaching centre.

"The matter was brought to our notice by the father of the victim who had joined Sarang's coaching centre during lockdown as schools are closed. Then the videos also started circulating on social media," Magsi said.

"I was horrified to see the video, which showed my 10-year old son being raped by this monster. A teacher is supposed to build his students' careers but this man destroyed my child's life," the victim's father who is a driver by profession and originally from Karachi told a television channel.

Aslam Shar, the suspect's son and PTI Khairpur district vice-president, told the media that he was currently out of town and unaware of the details.

"I cannot say that the person in the videos or photos is my father. I am trying to contact them and will provide updates when I get home," he said.

Sexual assault of young children in Pakistan has become a major problem with many cases going unreported because of the stigma attached to them.