Illegal occupants: 21 schools freed in special operation

DCO has also ordered demolition of shops constructed on school premises.

MULTAN:

As many as 21 government schools in Multan district have been freed from illegal occupants in an operation launched on the directions of Chief Secretary Nasir Khosa.

Khosa had directed that the schools be cleared in seven days. Following Khosa’s directions, Commissioner Khurram Ali Agha had directed DCO Naseem Sadiq to ensure that the job did not take too long. In the end, it was completed in three days.

The DCO has also ordered demolition of all shops constructed on school premises.

Sadiq had constituted teams consisting of Education Department and police officials to remove illegal occupants from the government schools.

Officials said that seven of the schools were being used as cowsheds. The Primary School for Girls, Jhok Wains, had been occupied by two teachers who had turned it into personal residence. They had shown their four daughters as students.

The Education Department has ordered their forced retirement.
Iqbal Girl’s Middle School, Hussain Agaahi, had been occupied by some shopkeepers who had been using the building for commercial purposes.
Education Department officials have ordered immediate appointment of teachers to these schools.

Admissions to the schools will remain open over the next two months.
Residents of neighbourhood organised a demonstration in support of the government on Friday.

Talking to The Express Tribune, they said: “We thought that we would never be able to fight the groups occupying the schools. It is refreshing to see the land-grabbers removed.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2012.