Student accuses Rawalpindi academy principal of repeated rape

Federal Minister for Human Rights and Law, Azam Nazeer Tarar, on Wednesday ordered an “immediate and transparent” investigation into the alleged rape and forced abortion of a Grade 10 student in Rawalpindi by the principal of a private academy.

According to police, the student — a resident of Khayaban-i-Sir Syed in Pirwadhai — lodged a first information report (FIR) on Monday accusing the academy’s principal of repeatedly raping her and compelling her to undergo an abortion.

In a statement, the minister’s office said he had directed the suspect’s immediate arrest and sought a detailed report on the case, adding that the “provision of justice to the affected student should be ensured under all circumstances.”

As per the complaint, the principal, who was childless, proposed marriage while the girl was in Grade 10 and told her to involve her parents.

She alleged he later promised help in securing good marks in the matriculation examination and coerced her into sexual relations. The FIR states the suspect first raped her in his office; when she later told him she was pregnant, he allegedly gave her medication to induce an abortion.

The complainant further alleged the assaults continued over time, leading to another pregnancy; when she insisted on marriage, he allegedly refused and subjected her to torture.

Under Section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code, rape is punishable by death or imprisonment of not less than 10 years and up to 25 years, or for the remainder of a convict’s life, along with a fine.

Recent reforms — including the Anti-Rape (Investigation & Trial) Act, 2021, and the earlier Anti-Rape Ordinance, 2020 — provide for special courts, expedited medico-legal examinations and a national sex offender registry.

Persistent systemic challenges remain. The Sustainable Social Development Organisation has reported a national conviction rate for rape cases of around 0.5 per cent, while the National Commission for Human Rights recently noted that only 41 per cent of women who experience rape report it, with many later withdrawing complaints due to societal pressure.