Officials summoned over errors in textbooks

IHC adjourns hearing on intra-court appeals regarding LG polls in capital

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has summoned the secretary of education and the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education chairman in person on a petition identifying and challenging errors in textbooks under the revised curriculum.

IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq heard the petition of a female citizen, who had requested the court to issue directives to monitor the revised curriculum, which is replete with errors, and ensure the implementation of the Standard of Education Act.

Counsel for the parties concerned including the federal board appeared on a court notice but they failed to satisfy the court on the points raised by the petitioner.

The IHC chief justice expressed his indignation over the lackadaisical approach of the lawyers, who were unprepared to reply.

The chief justice remarked that “you people do not know your case. A simple question has been asked about curriculum who prepares the curriculum?

The petitioner has also said that she does not know who is making the curriculum.

“You people have no idea who is preparing the curriculum, so let us call the secretary of education,” the chief justice said.

The petitioner said that while teaching the children, it was seen that there were errors in the syllabus. The court adjourned the hearing for two weeks and summoned the education secretary and the federal board chairman at the next hearing.

Meanwhile, the hearing on intra-court appeals of the Federation and the Election Commission of Pakistan challenging a single bench decision on local body elections in Islamabad, could not be held as the IHC chief justice, who is heading the division bench, said that he was not feeling well and only urgent matters will be taken up.

The court adjourned the hearing till January 26 without proceeding. However, the federal government's request to submit additional documents with the original petition was approved.

Earlier, IHC judge Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir passed a judgment on petitions of PTI's Ali Nawaz Awan and Jamaat-e-Islami's Mian Aslam on December 30, 2022, ordering to hold local government elections in 101 union councils of in Islamabad on December 31.

The Federal and the ECP have challenged the single-bench verdict through intra-court appeals.

The regular cause list of the division bench hearing the intra-court appeals of the Federation and the ECP was cancelled and only urgent pleas were heard.

PTI leader, Ali Nawaz Awan appeared in the court along with his lawyer, Sardar Taimur Aslam. Additional Attorney General Aamir Rehman and Manwar Iqbal Dogal were present in the court on behalf of the federal government.

The IHC chief justice said that only urgent cases were being heard today because he was not feeling well and the regular cause list has been cancelled.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th, 2023.