Cleric Abubakar Muaviya booked in another child rape case

Cleric Abubakar Muaviya, who was accused of raping a 12-year-old boy in Faisalabad, was booked in another case of child sexual assault in Lahore on Tuesday.

The First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the suspect at the Shahdara Police Station.

The police arrested Muaviya from the spot where he was sexually assaulting the boy.

The law enforcers have started an investigation into the matter after shifting the suspect to the police station. 

The police also obtained a four-day physical remand of Muaviya in the new child rape case.

The matter first came to light when the father of the child filed an FIR with the local police in Tandlianwala, alleging that his 12-year-old child did not return home after Maghrib prayers on March 22.

He grew anxious for the safety of his child and joined a search with other men. As they approached the mosque, the sounds of shouting from a nearby mosque drew their attention.

Upon entering the house they discovered the suspect was attempting to rape the child. The suspect pointed the gun towards them and escaped the scene. 

On the same day, a video message surfaced on social media showing the father detailing the incident with his child. Local police then arrested the accused cleric on March 23.  

A video of SP Tandlianwala, Shamsul Haq reprimanding the suspect also went viral on social media.

He was scheduled to appear in the judicial magistrate court the day after his arrest. However, Allama Ibtisam Elahi travelled from Lahore to Faisalabad and facilitated reconciliation between both parties in a jirga.

The main eyewitness of the incident, the child's father, retracted his previously recorded video statement and forgave the accused scholar.

Later, The cleric also denied allegations on the Holy Quran.

However, another case accusing the same cleric of child rape has raised concerns about the safety and security of kids,