A Karachi court on Thursday handed down a collective sentence of a year and a half in prison to the headmaster of a government school for sexually harassing a female teacher.
Judicial Magistrate (West) Inamullah Phulpoto found Muhammad Rashid guilty of committing offences punishable under sections 354 (assault with intent to outrage modesty), 509 (insulting modesty through gestures or words), and 506 (issuing threats) of Pakistan Penal Code.
He awarded six-month imprisonment to the accused on each count and ordered him to pay a fine of Rs45,000 or undergo additional three months’ imprisonment. "Since the prosecution has brought nothing regarding previous record of conviction of the accused, therefore, all the sentences awarded to the accused are hereby ordered to run concurrently," the magistrate ruled.
He observed that the woman teacher's testimony regarding the physical assault she suffered at the hands of the accused was both credible and supported by the circumstances surrounding the incident. He said the accused's actions, including inappropriate touch and suggestive remarks, were clearly intended to insult the woman's dignity and privacy.
Her testimony about threats extended by the accused as well as his subsequent actions such as filing a defamation suit against her confirmed the issuance of dire threats, the magistrate added.
However, he pointed out that the charge under Section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) could not be proved due to insufficient evidence. According to the prosecution, the woman lodged a complaint with the Docks police station on January 18, 2024, alleging that accused Rashid, headmaster of the school where she worked as a teacher, had been continuously engaging in unethical behvaiour towards her. She said the accused unlawfully retained her important documents, including her original CNIC, appointment letter, joining letter and bank cheques.
The woman accused the headmaster of blackmailing her and extorting a sum of Rs300,000. She claimed that he deliberately manipulated her attendance record, showing her absent despite she being present.
On December 8, 2023, she said, that the accused called her to his office and handed her an unofficial letter falsely declaring her absent, adding that when she protested, the accused threatened to terminate her unless she complied with his demands. She alleged he further intimidated her by claiming that he had connections with influential people and could have her and her husband imprisoned on false charges.
She said that when she attempted to leave, the accused touched her inappropriately and made inappropriate comments, adding that she managed to escape in a state of fear.
The victim said the accused continued to harass her through various means, including sending legal notices to intimidate her into not filing a complaint. On the other hand, the defence counsel contended that his client was innocent and had falsely been implicated in the case. He argued that the female teacher fabricated the case to "resolve internal matters related to attendance issues or other workplace disputes as the complainant failed to provide any concrete evidence to substantiate the allegations".
Three witnesses, including the victim and her husband, testified against the accused during the trial. In his written order, the judge further noted: "Throughout the trial, the complainant expressed the emotional and psychological toll of the harassment she faced. She highlighted how the constant fear and threats not only impacted her professional life but also her personal life.
“The ridicule and stigma she faced from society added to her mental anguish. The complainant’s resilience to pursue justice, despite these difficulties, showed her determination to ensure no other woman would suffer as she did."
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