Students, faculty protest probable privatisation of college

The students and faculty members of the Government Gordon College staged a protest Wednesday by boycotting classes against the impending privatisation of the historically significant institution.

The protesting students took out a rally from the college to the Rawalpindi Press Club via Liaquat Road. The rally was attended by a large number of students as well as faculty members.

The protesters were holding placards with slogans written on them. Professors from all departments of the Government Gordon College participated in the protest and raised slogans against the probable privatisation of the college.

Students participating in the protest boycotted all the classes. As the rally reached the main highway, it caused a massive gridlock. The traffic police officials diverted the traffic to alternate routes.

The students vowed not to allow the privatisation of the historically important Government Gordon College. “The protest will continue until the privatisation decision is revoked,” they said.

In this regard, a case is also pending before the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The college was a missionary institution until 1972 and in the same year when other institutions of the country were nationalised, the Gordon College was also handed over to the Punjab government.

But the case about the ownership of the college's land has been pending since 1986.

The management of Preston Church, which is adjacent to the college, claims that the land of the school is owned by the church and the same management is also running the FC College in Lahore.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2022.