Outrage over move to lease ancient building

Sources say authorities may hand over RPDC to Shifa Eye Foundation

HARIPUR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Director Professional Development, Riaz Ahmad Bahar, has warned the authorities against deciding to hand over the ancient building of the Regional Professional Development Centre (RPDC) to any private or non-governmental organisation (NGO).

“We will not allow this 110-year-old building to be handed over to an NGO. It is an ancient school from which thousands of teachers have received education till now,” K-P Director Professional Development Riaz Bahar expressed these remarks during a special visit to RPDC, Haripur.

On the occasion, Bahar addressed the staff of the institution and the teachers who came to attend the induction training from across Hazara district.

“The historical building of RPDC, Haripur will never be allowed to be given under the control of any NGO, private or government organisation under any pretexts,” he vowed.

“Established about 110 ago, this institution holds a great position in the field of education. It is the only teacher training institute in the entire Hazara Division. Over 3,000 teachers from all Hazara districts have received training from this institution in the last two years and will continue to do so in the future,” he said.

Sources said Shifa Eye Foundation – an NGO dealing in the prevention and control of blindness by providing standard and sustainable eye care services – proposed to acquire the ancient building on lease.

Reacting strongly to the development, School Officer Association (SOA) President, Samiullah Khalil, said: “If the proposal of Shifa Eye Foundation is implemented concerning the historical government building of RPDC, Haripur, we will hold protests across the province.”

Warning the authorities of a strong reaction against such a move, he said all such buildings of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), in which educational institutions are established, are protected by the Constitution of Pakistan and no other institution can be established in those structures.

Earlier, holding a press conference at the Haripur Press Club along with party officials, Qaumi Watan Party’s K-P vice president and former MPA Dr Faiza Rasheed, said a nefarious conspiracy to take over the RPDC on the pretext of handing it over to the Shifa Eye Foundation was underway. “The governor should end such conspiracy immediately, otherwise we will go to any lengths including protests, sit-ins and rallies on the GT Road but will not allow anyone to occupy the historical building of Hazara Division's only teachers training college with more than 100 years of service,” she warned.

“Civil society and public representatives should come into action and protect this historical heritage and valuable asset,” she said. “If the governor wants to give an institution on the lease, then he should do so in his area. We reject this malicious attempt.”

She strongly demanded the K-P governor to cancel the so-called notification of giving the RPDC, Haripur on lease. “Otherwise we will protest strongly by blocking the GT road and go to every constitutional and legal forum to thwart this conspiracy,” she said.

Background

Established by the Sikh community in 1913 during the British Hindu rule, the Lakshmi Chand Khalsa High School, Haripur, was formally inaugurated by the Chief Commissioner of the erstwhile North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), JS Donald.

After the creation of Pakistan, it was renamed New Government High School on September 22, 1947, and was inaugurated by the then NWFP chief minister Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan on April 1, 1949.

On May 27, 1952, it was given the status of a regular teacher training school and subsequently, in 2003 it was renamed as the Regional Professional Development Centre (RPDC).

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2023.