Behind the madrassa walls: The harsh reality of child abuse by clerics

By: Usman Mohmand

Child abuse refers to any intentional harm or mistreatment of a child. It can take many forms, and all of them can have serious and long-lasting effects on a child’s physical, emotional, and psychological development. Pakistan ranks third globally in child abuse cases, following Nigeria and south Africa.

The estimated child abuse in Pakistan is more than 12 per day, in which out of total reported cases of child abuse in Pakistan 2,325 victims were girls (55%) and 1,928 (45%) boys. According to a report published by Al-Jazeera, Abid Hussain stated that an average of 12 children per day, or one every two hours were subjected to sexual abuse in Pakistan in 2023. The NGO, which has been operating since 1996, compiles its data from newspaper reports as well as from cases directly reported to them. It said there were 1,207 girls and 1,020 boys in the cases it recorded in 2023. The Sahil report further said almost 75 percent of these cases were reported from Punjab, the country’s most populous province.

Child abuse by religious clerics refers to the sexual, physical, or emotional exploitation of children (primarily boys) by teachers or leaders in religious institutions, especially within madrassas (Islamic seminaries). This issue has raised growing concern due to the recurrence of reported incidents over the years, particularly in South Asian countries.

According to Business Standard News, a disturbing video surfaced from Bangladesh on March 10, 2021, showing a madrasa teacher violently whipping a student on his birthday. The 8-year-old had reportedly attempted to leave the madrasa compound to spend time with his mother, who had visited with birthday gifts. The incident, which occurred in the southeastern port city of Chittagong, went viral and led to the teacher’s arrest.

A joint survey conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and UNICEF between 2012 and 2013 revealed alarming figures: over 80% of children aged 1 to 14 had experienced some form of “violent punishment,” with 74.4% subjected to psychological aggression, 65.9% to physical punishment, and 24.6% enduring severe physical abuse.

In Pakistan, similar cases have come to light. Muhammad Afzal, a 54-year-old father, recalled the tragic incident in February 2019 when his eldest son, Junaid Afzal, died because of being severely beaten by a madrasa cleric. Junaid, who had originally been attending a local school near their village in Lala Musa, Punjab, had insisted on joining a madrasa in Lahore after some of his schoolmates did so. Hoping for spiritual blessings through his son’s Quranic education, Afzal was devastated to instead receive his son’s body, bruised and blue from excessive beating. He explained that the cleric responsible held such influence that it took three months to get a case registered against him.

Another similar incident took place in January 2018 in Karachi, where another 8-year-old boy was beaten to death by a cleric. Videos of such abuse have repeatedly gone viral in Pakistan. Many clerics reportedly believe that beating children while teaching the Holy Quran is not only acceptable but even beneficial. According to reports, government officials often hesitate to act against these clerics due to their strong influence and societal power, making legal accountability difficult.

Yet such incidents continue to occur. On July 21, 2025, a cleric has beaten a boy which became the cause of his death. In district swat tehsil Khwazakhela village Chalyar, a cleric beating Farhan who was only 14 years old. This outraged the people of that area, and they protested in the nearby town. police responded by arresting two clerics from madrassa.

This raises a critical and persistent question. What is the solution to such recurring incidents? There has been little to no change in the deeply rooted customs that enable this abuse. While much has evolved over the decades, the abusive practices by some clerics toward children remain distressingly persistent. Time and again, new cases of deaths and severe abuse are reported in the newspapers but the system and rules for the clerics didn’t change. There should be legislation against this morally reprehensible, unethical, and inhumane conduct of clerics toward their learners.

Also read: 3 children died, 1 woman injured in roof collapse incident in Swat