KARACHI: The Gulshan-e-Iqbal Autism Care and Rehabilitation Organization (ACRO) in Karachi has dismissed an assistant, Safia Naz, after disturbing CCTV footage showed her physically assaulting an autistic child in the classroom. The incident, which occurred on September 26, was brought to light when the video went viral on social media.
In the footage, Safia can be seen hitting a boy aged 10 to 12 years and pulling his ears while the other children watched. ACRO spokesperson Sardar Nadeem confirmed that Naz was immediately fired following an internal investigation. Naz reportedly told the staff that the child had bitten her hand, causing her to react violently due to the pain she was experiencing from a back issue.
Naz, who had worked at ACRO for eight years without prior complaints, was responsible for assisting children with daily tasks, including meals and clothing. The incident sparked outrage among parents and the media, leading to a formal police complaint filed by ACRO on October 1. The footage was shared with the parents of the children enrolled at ACRO, which serves around 130 children.
The police, however, noted that it would be difficult to conduct a medico-legal examination due to the four-day delay, unless the injuries were severe. The case is now under investigation, with further details expected to be released by ACRO’s legal team.
