Studying with the rattling of shackles and gunfire
Pindi school building is being used as a court, govt office, while students study in the grounds.
ISLAMABAD:
In the middle of an outdoor class at a local school, handcuffed prisoners walk out of a police van. A little earlier, the students saw government officials do the same. This has been going on for years, and along the way brawls and scuffles have become commonplace.
This is Government Degree College for Boys Kallar Syedan, situated in a far-flung part of Rawalpindi.
The college and its grounds cover 57 kanals, but half of its building and premises have been occupied by the local court and the revenue department, forcing classes to be held in the playground due to the shortage of classrooms available.
There are six classrooms in the college, four of which are usually utilised by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Rawalpindi, Punjab University and Allama Iqbal Open University, remarked Muhammad Saeed, the newly-appointed principal of the college.
“There has been firing on the court premises between rival groups or police at least twice. Both times the students barely escaped unhurt,” he said.
According to Saeed, litigants and police bringing prisoners due for hearings get off and park their vehicles in the vicinity of college while classes are going on nearby.
Javed Mehmood, a retired principal of the college who still teaches there, said court officials came to him with a letter from District Coordination Officer Hamid Ali Khan on July 11, 2004 and September 5, 2009 respectively to acquire the building.
“We allowed it at the time because we were not running a Bachelor of Arts programme, but now that the programme has started, it is a real problem for us,” Mehmood said.
The college is situated on a vast area with a boundary wall, but half of the open space is ‘occupied’ with no security measures and open entry for every local. “If we erect the boundary wall it will amount to legalisation of their occupation,” he said.
Time and again, the area MNA Captain Safdar, who is the son-in-law of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, has also been informed about the scenario, but nothing has been done, said Shahid Liaqat, a lecturer at the college.
Atique, a second year student, said they do not have play area and have to sit in the dusty grounds to take classes. “We protested many times, but nobody seems interested in getting the issue resolved,” he added.
Salahuddin Niaz, a geography lecturer, told The Express Tribune that classes are held on the roof, in the play area, and the laboratories due to the classroom shortage. “Holding classes in an open area is dangerous because it is visited by hundreds of people every day,” said the teacher.
Usaf Malik, a lecturer at the college, said even the locals do not support the college staff and students’ position. “If we seek their help, they mistake it as an attempt by the college administration to shift the court from the area,” he said.
When The Express Tribune spoke to Sub-divisional Officer Javed Iqbal Awan at his office in the college building, he claimed they understand the peculiarity of this issue and said, “We are waiting for an official replacement.” Awan added that since he took charge earlier this year, he has written two letters to the tehsil assistant commissioner but has not received any reply.
Speaking on the issue, District Coordination Officer Saqib Zaffar said this is an administrative issues and must be addressed, but due to many reasons we have not been able to do it.
Meanwhile, Colleges Deputy Director Rana Jawad said they have written to the commissioner and government authorities to vacate the building, but responses have not been welcoming. “When visiting the college, one does not get the feel of an educational institution, but a local court with chambers, court, a café and a government office,” he remarked.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2012.
In the middle of an outdoor class at a local school, handcuffed prisoners walk out of a police van. A little earlier, the students saw government officials do the same. This has been going on for years, and along the way brawls and scuffles have become commonplace.
This is Government Degree College for Boys Kallar Syedan, situated in a far-flung part of Rawalpindi.
The college and its grounds cover 57 kanals, but half of its building and premises have been occupied by the local court and the revenue department, forcing classes to be held in the playground due to the shortage of classrooms available.
There are six classrooms in the college, four of which are usually utilised by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Rawalpindi, Punjab University and Allama Iqbal Open University, remarked Muhammad Saeed, the newly-appointed principal of the college.
“There has been firing on the court premises between rival groups or police at least twice. Both times the students barely escaped unhurt,” he said.
According to Saeed, litigants and police bringing prisoners due for hearings get off and park their vehicles in the vicinity of college while classes are going on nearby.
Javed Mehmood, a retired principal of the college who still teaches there, said court officials came to him with a letter from District Coordination Officer Hamid Ali Khan on July 11, 2004 and September 5, 2009 respectively to acquire the building.
“We allowed it at the time because we were not running a Bachelor of Arts programme, but now that the programme has started, it is a real problem for us,” Mehmood said.
The college is situated on a vast area with a boundary wall, but half of the open space is ‘occupied’ with no security measures and open entry for every local. “If we erect the boundary wall it will amount to legalisation of their occupation,” he said.
Time and again, the area MNA Captain Safdar, who is the son-in-law of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, has also been informed about the scenario, but nothing has been done, said Shahid Liaqat, a lecturer at the college.
Atique, a second year student, said they do not have play area and have to sit in the dusty grounds to take classes. “We protested many times, but nobody seems interested in getting the issue resolved,” he added.
Salahuddin Niaz, a geography lecturer, told The Express Tribune that classes are held on the roof, in the play area, and the laboratories due to the classroom shortage. “Holding classes in an open area is dangerous because it is visited by hundreds of people every day,” said the teacher.
Usaf Malik, a lecturer at the college, said even the locals do not support the college staff and students’ position. “If we seek their help, they mistake it as an attempt by the college administration to shift the court from the area,” he said.
When The Express Tribune spoke to Sub-divisional Officer Javed Iqbal Awan at his office in the college building, he claimed they understand the peculiarity of this issue and said, “We are waiting for an official replacement.” Awan added that since he took charge earlier this year, he has written two letters to the tehsil assistant commissioner but has not received any reply.
Speaking on the issue, District Coordination Officer Saqib Zaffar said this is an administrative issues and must be addressed, but due to many reasons we have not been able to do it.
Meanwhile, Colleges Deputy Director Rana Jawad said they have written to the commissioner and government authorities to vacate the building, but responses have not been welcoming. “When visiting the college, one does not get the feel of an educational institution, but a local court with chambers, court, a café and a government office,” he remarked.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2012.