ICC Note:
A Christian teacher from Pakistan’s Kasur District was beaten and humiliated by Muslim co-workers after being promoted to head teacher of the school. Three months ago, the Christian was promoted to the head teacher of Pernawa village school causing several Muslim co-workers to protest. On Monday, several Muslim co-workers attacked the Christian teacher in his office saying they would not work under a Christian and would be directing his every action at the school. Police had to be called to the school after the Muslim co-workers attacked and beat the Christian teacher but no charges have been filed. Christians are often discriminated against in hiring practices and even when they are promoted on merit, many Muslims are unwilling to accept having a Christian be superior to them.
10/6/2015 Pakistan (The Nation) – A Christian teacher had to face humiliation and torture when his fellow Muslim teachers taunted him of being a Christian. According to details, the incident took place in Pernawa near Phool Nagar in Kasur District where Muslim teachers at a Primary school beat a Christian teacher Saddique Azam who was employed at the post of head master.
The incident reportedly took place on October 5, when a bunch of religiously fanatic Muslim teachers who were working under Saddique Azam’s authority launched a verbal attack at the Christian victim. “You are a Christian and Choora so, how can you be Headmaster and our senior” they said while hurling insults at him. After this they started beating Saddique violently.
“Choora” is a relative term used for Christians in Pakistan to express abhorrence for them. Muslims use this derogatory word for Christians to abuse them more often.
It was around 7:45 am on October 5, when three Muslim teachers who had been opposing him stormed in his office. At that time Saddique was not in his office, they waited for him. When Saddique arrived he met them and asked for the reason they visited his office. They started threatening him and pressurising him to resign at once. Moreover, they told him, “If he wanted to remain working as the Head Teacher then he would have to work according to their directions.”
Furthermore; they warned him that if they were absent from the school even then he would report their presence to the DEO. Saddique sternly denied accepting their demands. It was after this denial that the three of them started beating him violently and injured his left eye severely.
Seeing the commotion, the other staff members rushed into his office and rescued him from the three teachers who were still beating him relentlessly. Soon police were called and the three extremist teachers were arrested. Nonetheless, the police showed partiality and showed reluctance to register an FIR of the incident.
Azam has been holding the position of Head Teacher at the Pernawa village school for the last three month since his appointment. Although he has been appointed as the Head Teacher, the concerned Education Department has been reluctant to issue a formal appointment letter in his name verifying his appointment as Head Teacher.
Seeing his appointment and that he was given headship of the school, a bunch of Muslim teachers from the same school protested before the District Education Officer (DEO) of Kasur questioning him that why a Christian was appointed as a Head.
…
