Crackdown against encroachers: Khuhro orders cases against those occupying school buildings

The minister said that no exception would be made even for Rangers.

KARACHI: Sindh senior minister for education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro directed his department to register cases against those who have encroached upon schools, colleges and universities across the province.

Addressing a press conference at Sindh Assembly’s committee room on Tuesday, Khuhro said that action would be taken against land grabbers irrespective of their position. “If you are afraid of influential people then register the FIR on behalf of the education minister,” Khuhro asked officials of the education department.



When his attention was drawn towards the fact that the Rangers occupied several educational hostels, Khuhro replied back that action would be taken across the board without any exemptions.

Ghost schools

The minister also expressed his resolve to reset the image of the education department, long tainted with the scourge of ghost schools. He said that he has planned a complaint cell and a website containing the updated data on serving teachers would be launched on August 1. “This would mark the end of ghost schools menace,” he said, adding that he has also sought details of every retiring teacher so that new people could be hired.

Khuhro’s plan also included restoration of 39,000 non-functional school management committees to run the schools in a smooth fashion and activation of supervisory role of senior teachers. “We have decided to restore the position of 2,000 supervisors to keep an eye on teachers’ performance.”

Khuhro asserted that merit would be strictly followed in all future appointments and said that all those working on deputations and in Own Pay Scale (OPS) in his department will be sent back.

Local government

Khuhro further said that the government was considering amendments to enhance reserved seats for women in the provincial assembly and changes in clause pertaining to development that comes under the purview of the local government system.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2013.