Chichawatni teacher arrested for beating a student

A government school teacher in Chichawatni was arrested for beating a student with a stick, the police said on Thursday.

According to the students, Abid Shuja asked them to grab hold of their fellow student and lift him up in the air. “He would then beat the student with sticks repeatedly for over 25 times,” one of them said.

The victim told the police that the suspect used to frequently torture students. “We were all terrified of him because he beat us over small mistakes.”

After a complaint against Shuja was filed, the Punjab education department fired and got him arrested. An FIR has been registered as well.

Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas has condemned the behaviour of the teacher. “There’s a zero-tolerance policy against anyone beating students.”

He promised that the province will soon bring a law against such attacks.

Islamabad criminalises corporal punishment

On February 24, the National Assembly passed a bill to criminalise all forms of corporal punishment at workplaces, educational institutions and rehabilitation centres in Islamabad.

The new law would also cancel provisions of Section 89 of the PPC that allows teachers and guardians to administer physical punishment “in good faith” and “for the benefit” of the child. It allows the authorities to sack or suspend those violating the law.

It prohibits all forms of corporal punishment of children in the following places:

• Work
• Schools and educational institutions
• Child care institutions
• Rehabilitation centres
• Any other alternative care setting

“Disciplinary measures concerning the child can only be taken in accordance with the child’s dignity, and under no circumstances corporal punishment, or punishments which relate to child’s physical and mental development or which may affect the child’s emotional state are allowed,” the bill states.

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