School girls in rally: ‘Who are you to object?’
Justice Umar Ata Bandial dismissed the petition – filed by Muhammad Qasim Cheema, a resident of Faisalabad – saying that Cheema had no locus standi to file the petition since he was not an aggrieved party.
The petitioner had submitted that EDO Pevaiz Akhtar had asked Sajid Hussain, secondary education DEO Lahore; Abdul Majid, the assistant education officer; and Mrs Munawwar Tabassum, the principal of Government Model Girls High School, Model Town, Lahore, to take a bus full of girl students to the PML-N rally in Faisalabad.
Transport and other expenses were arranged by the Lahore DCO and Akhtar, he claimed.
The petitioner said that driving the students like a herd of goats and forcing them to take part in a rally from early morning till late at night not only “polluted” the girls’ minds but also caused their parents anxiety. The petitioner said that such acts could lead to an increase in the dropout rate of girls from public schools. He had prayed that Akhtar be suspended and action taken against other officers who were involved.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2011.
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The politicians want to make these students as 'cheer girls' like in cricket and other sports. The officials who deliberately forced these girls to attend a political rally should be arrested and dismissed from service.
I think that the petitioner did a bit of a drama & is directly related to none other than PTI. I have a feeling, cuz I have seen some of these dramas (the cheap ones) myself several times among the co-workers of PTI. IK should notice such activities.
I wonder why Nawaz never called his people to Faisalabad rally who he was going to take to Islamabad for the "show-of-power" in a recent threat to the government?
Nawaz Sharif should not stoop so low. Shame on you Nawaz!
Democratic training right from the childhood.An other first from pragmatic Government of dynamic chief minister.Keep it up.
@Feather In The Cap: Brother they sand patriotic songs...check the jalsa out
Now this may be a wee bit off topic but it's the first thing that came to mind after reading this (or second): while I disagree with mixing politics and education and understand why people are kicking up a fuss, I'm sick of people in Pakistani society (and some other societies as well) using the same tired old excuses, whether it's to mask their own agendas or just plain old school and somewhat sexist. While these schoolgirls are young, I've seen the same silly mentality used regarding grown women in Pakistan. Why not let women decide what they want to be "shielded" or protected from for a change... As far as I read I didn't see anyone mention this polluting the minds of schoolboys and as I understand it, there were schoolboys present as well. Doesn't make sense to me...anyways, I'm rambling now.... Cheers
If they were actually obligated to stay beyond school hours, that's wrong. If not, it could easily be passed off as a field trip of sorts. It amounts to current events and learning about the country more. Whether it was something that reflected positively or negatively would be on the speaker's shoulders. Learning isn't effective as something one sided anyways. All sides are required for a correct view.
How did attending a political rally pollute the girls mind? Were the school boys not polluted? What a stupid thing to do. Lawyers in this country have lost my trust since the lawyers movement. Day after day we get to see cheap and stupid petitions including the one about Sherry Rehman being anti-islamic and now this one. Seriously I am sure there are more serious things happening in this country of 190 million people which they can petition about.
That said I do not support what PML-N did. It was extremely idiotic and damaging to their reputation. Children go to school to study not serve as jalsa attendants.
Why did he only object on girls'? Why not boys?
Just messed up thinking all round.
PML(N) govt in punjab is losing its popularity rapidly. After school girls what else would they bring to jalsa. I can only think of robots.
Now we know how the popularity surveys of Nawaz Sharif were being conducted!
Paranoids can stoop to any level. No wonders.
what next bring animal from your houses into rallys
where is Suo moto proned High court?
this is PAkistan thats why there is no guilt for the powerfull peoples? can anybody dare in european countries to drag the school kids into their political jalsa?? we must have to bring change ,,vote for Imran khan and stop such shameless acts
Now that is called Popularity..... :)
Wow! What a great idea by the khadam e aala, I am just curious what is his next line of action other than just bringing school girls/boys at his rallies.
This is shameless, at least keep your poltics out of education, dirty minded polticians. and more importantly have some respect for the women.