Pakistani cleric confesses to sexually assaulting student during interrogation, says he is ashamed

A day after his arrest from Mianwali along with his sons, Pakistan cleric and former Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl's (JUI-F) leader Mufti Azizur Rehman on Monday confessed to sexually assaulting a student during interrogation, police informed.

Speaking to Dawn, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) investigations Shariq Jamal Khan said that the cleric had confessed that the incident's video, which went viral on social media a few days ago, had featured him and was secretly filmed by the student who was being sexually abused.

"I made the student a target of my lust with the lure of passing him [in his exams]," he admitted to the police.

Rehman also added that he was afraid and worried once the video went viral on social media and his sons had attempted to threaten the student and stop him from mentioning the incident to anyone.

"I released the video statement because I did not want to leave the madrassah. The madrassah administration had already told me to leave," the DIG quoted him as saying. "I am very ashamed at what I did," he added.

The DIG said that all medical and forensic evidence was being collected in the case and "we will try to present a strong challan to secure a punishment", adding that there was substantial evidence to prosecute in the case, reported Dawn.

Last week, police had registered a case against Rehman after a harrowing video clip of him allegedly sexually assaulting one of his students was widely shared on social media.

The student had said Rehman sexually abused him, while the cleric's sons started blackmailing and threatening to kill him.

The incident sparked outrage on social media, with many calling for the former JUI-F leader to be arrested. Pakistan's civil society members are questioning the silence of religious parties after police arrested the cleric for sexually assaulting one of his students.

On Twitter, #muftiazizurrehman was among the top trends in Pakistan on Thursday with netizens calling for action against the JUI-F cleric and criticising religious parties for their silence on the incident.

( With inputs from ANI )

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