Growing concerns: Panjgur protests attacks on ‘English schools’

Political parties join hands, demand immediate action.

QUETTA:

A procession was taken out in Panjgur on Wednesday to protest against the attacks private English-medium schools have come under for offering co-education.

Around 2,000 people, including women and children, marched through different streets of the city and chanted slogans against Tanzeem-ul-Islam-ul-Furqan — an organisation which has been distributing threatening pamphlets across Panjgur. The procession culminated in a sit-in in front of the deputy commissioner’s office.

The ruling National Party (NP) and opposition Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-A) supported the protest and demanded that the government immediately book the culprits who have been threatening private schools. A group of armed men torched the vehicle of a teacher a day earlier. The armed men harassed the teacher, who has been promoting co-education in Panjgur for years.

Speakers in the procession condemned the attacks on English-language centres and reiterated their firm resolve not to be deterred in their cause by extremists. Central committee’s member of ruling National Party Pullen Baloch, BNP-M’s Kifaitullah, Latif Baloch of Private School Association and General Secretary Government Teachers Association Haji Fida spoke on the occasion.

“It seems the work of some outsiders who do not want our youth to be educated and have broader vision about the world,” Latif Baloch, leader of Private Schools Association, told reporters.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2014.