230 schools, colleges sealed over inadequate security

More than 230 educational institutions in Rawalpindi division, including 138 government-run schools and colleges, have been sealed for not having adequate security arrangements, officials said yesterday.
In addition, as many as 53 educational institutions in the Rawalpindi division, including Rawalpindi Medical College, yesterday received final notices to improve security arrangements by Sunday, or “the head of the institution would be booked.”
In Jhelum, 15 educational institutions, including 10 government and five private schools were sealed, Chakwal saw four schools sealed and three others were given warnings by the administration, while in Wah Cantonment, police said, the principal of a private educational institution was threatened.
In Attock, police and intelligence agencies completed a fresh survey of security arrangements at educational institutions and found 205 schools and colleges, including 127 government and 78 private institutions, lacking adequate security.
After the Punjab government ordered educational institutions across the province to shut down for five days, they have been directed to make sure their buildings are safe and are complying with standard operating procedures.
The Punjab home department has already ordered divisional police chiefs across the province to increase security around educational institutions in the light of intelligence reports that terrorist groups may be planning to target them.
An earlier deadline, given to educational institutions to improve security arrangements, expired yesterday, but the administration gave them three more days to put all measures in place.
Acting Commissioner Sajid Zafar Dall said that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, in a video link meeting, had ordered that the head of the institution that failed to take adequate security measures should be booked.
“At least 22 educational institutions in Rawalpindi, 15 in Jhelum, 10 in Attock and six in Chakwal have been sent final notices,” he said.
He said Rescue 1122 and the civil defence department had started training teaching staff in Rawalpindi, Gujar Khan and Taxila to deal with any untoward situation.
They would attend training sessions in their schools and colleges, adding that similar training would be imparted to students after their winter vacations.
Humayun Iqbal, director, colleges, yesterday called a meeting of the private
colleges’ representatives in his office.
Representatives of 50 of the 80-odd private colleges in the garrison city attended the meeting. Iqbal said that private colleges had been conveyed the government’s directions and asked to implement them by Sunday.
In a press conference held yesterday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said he was opposed to the recent closure of schools in Punjab.
“I have serious differences [with the Punjab government] over the policy of closing schools because of some threats. We have to give the enemy a message of unity, to fight and defeat the evil of terrorism. We cannot confine ourselves to our homes out of fear,” he remarked.
He praised the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), saying they were setting a good example by not closing schools in the province, adding that he would ask Punjab and other provinces not to shut educational institutions.
Plans for new schools in deep frize: The Federal Directorate of Education’s proposal for new schools has received a cold response from the government.
The directorate sent the proposal to the planning commission and the ministry of capital administration and development division last year but has received no response so far, sources said.
FDE had proposed new model schools for Model Town Humak Zimni, PWD Housing Society, Rawal Town, two schools for Sector B-17, Ghora Shahan and Sector G-15.
The projects were estimated have cost between Rs48.7mn and Rs59.6mn each. The costs, however, are likely to escalate with delay in approval and execution of the projects. These institutes will accommodate 1,760 students combined.