RBISE arson: Building owner seeks Rs20m in damages

ISLAMABAD:

The owner of the building that was burnt down by angry students on Thursday is seeking Rs20 million in damages, board sources said.

The building housed the offices of the board chairperson, staff members, inter-branch, which were charred after rioting students ransacked it and set fire to it.

However Arsalan Cheema, spokesperson for the Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, denied receiving any such notification.

He added that when they do receive such a notification they will consider one of two options: either pay the losses or repair the damages.

In either case, he added, an engineer appointed by the board will visit the site and estimate the cost of damages.

A board official said that they were still in the process of removing the errors and finalising the results. The official feared more protests might spark once the results were announced.

Cheema, however, maintained that the board will announce results on December 24, and the students dissatisfied with their results can submit applications for rechecking their papers. He added that if students protested again, the district administration would be expected to ensure proper security.

Seven offices of the Rawalpindi board are all located in rented buildings although they will be shifted into their own building in February 2012.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2011.