Administrative deadlock: Halls of reconstructed school silenced by dispute

Tussle between two K-P departments preventing initiation of classes.

PESHAWAR:

A dispute over the ownership of land between the Education Department and Auqaf Department of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has jeopardised the future of 260 school going boys in Swat.

Government Middle School, Charbagh was destroyed by militants in 2008. But while the school has been reconstructed, the ongoing tussle between the two provincial departments has prevented it from becoming functional, said an official at Civil Secretariat. He added that both departments claim ownership of the property.

Provincial Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Settlement Authority (Parrsa), which is responsible for development work in crisis-hit areas, completed the reconstruction of the school’s building with the help of the chief minister’s package for militancy-hit areas.

A senior official of Parrsa said the authority constructed four schools in the area and that only Government Middle School, Charbagh is disputed over.

Communication and Works Department’s Project Director Javed Akbar also confirmed construction has been completed. “It is now an issue between the Auqaf  and Education departments, and they have to resolve it.”



According to an official report available with The Express Tribune, the school was reconstructed at a total cost of Rs11.56 million. Construction work began in March 2011 and was completed by July this year.

It further states that children are yet to attend classes as a result of the dispute over ownership of land between the said departments.

In a recent meeting, senior officials of Parrsa asked the Auqaf  and Education departments to resolve the dispute and make the school functional for the sake of the children.

In another meeting held on October 2 and presided over by Swat DCO Kamran Rahman, Executive District Officer (Education) Sultan Mehmood was asked to transfer the land in the name of the Education Department. DCO Rahman told participants of the meeting that District Officer Revenue (DOR) of Swat Niaz Muhammad Khan has already been asked to do the same.

DOR Khan, however, replied saying: “The land in question is the property of the Auqaf  Department and cannot be transferred in the name of the Education Department,” according to the minutes of the meeting available with The Express Tribune.

Provincial Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs, Namroz Khan and Minister for Schools and Literacy Sardar Hussain Babak were not available for comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2012.