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.”

Further more; 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 hem 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 was called and the three extremist teachers were arrested. Nonetheless, the police showed partiality and showed reluctance to register an FIR of the incident.
In keeping with details, Azam has been holding the position of Head Teacher at the Pernawa village school from last three month since his appointment. Although he has been appointed as the Head Teacher yet the concerned education Department is reluctant to issue a formal appointment letter in his name verifying his appointment as Head Teacher.

However, he has been given the charge of the school as a Head Teacher and is doing his duties since three months. 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. However, being a head teacher, Saddique Azam has authority over three other schools in the area.

These radical teachers also pressurised Saddique Azam since past two month to quit his job as a Head Teacher and hand over the charge to a Muslim teacher. They threatened him of severe consequences if he failed to comply with their demands. However, Saddique did not give up and did not resign form his job and kept performing his duties.

Courtesy Christians In Pakistan