LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday suspended Education Executive District Officer (EDO) Lahore Dr Muhammad Arshad for negligence in his duty and alleged corruptions in the Education Department, Pakistan Today learnt on Sunday.
CM took this action when he was visiting a government school in Chacho Wali Baidian Road and found that school was working without proper facilities, infrastructure, non availability of proper furniture and EDO was not providing facilities despite repeated requests by the school administration.
CM also warned Secretary Schools Aslam Kamboh for his negligence and also set up a committee to provide alternative place to the school and said that government will not compromise on quality of education.
However, CM office sources revealed that Chaho Wali school incident was not the only reason to suspend the EDO and the actual reason was EDOs’ corruption and embezzlements. He said CM’s inspection teams had received complaints against Dr Arshad, in which 18 incidents of corruptions were highlighted. He said the EDO misused his powers and earned millions.
According to a document received by CM’s inspection team, also available to Pakistan Today, reveals that the EDO made illegal appointments, embezzlements, violation of rules and Illegal registrations.
On the other hand teaching community is also demanding an action against the Secretary Education Aslam Kamboh who supported the EDO in his corruptions and misguided the CM about the issues in his department.
According to sources, the CM ordered EDO’s immediate suspension and action against other administrative officers for their failure to construct new school in place of the one demolished due to Ring Road construction. The CM also issued instructions for setting up a special committee comprising local people for identifying site for the new school within 48 hours on which construction work will be started within seven days, while he ordered temporary arrangements for girl students till the school construction.
The CM personally visited the village to ascertain facts. Upon inquired, locals told the CM that after the demolition of primary school because of Ring Road construction, they contacted EDO Education on a number of occasions for making alternative school arrangements as the girl students had to travel four to five kilometers to Ludhar village for education, but the EDO paid no attention to their request.
THE BOSS IS MY TEACHER:
Sources inside the CM office said that CM was annoyed with EDO owing to his case history in the education department. The source said the EDO called PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi is student and ‘no one dared question him for anything’. The source adds that when Shahbaz Sharif came in power, the EDO adopted the same style of corruptions and started using the name of Hamza Shahbaz Sharif to get his work done.
An official in the Punjab School Education Department said that the EDO was the ‘king of corruption’ and even senior officials feared his sources in the CM office. He said the whole set up of the schools in Lahore was disturbed and schools’ performance was poor as no student from the government schools was among the top position holders anymore.
‘I’M CLEAN’:
The suspended Education Executive District Officer (EDO) Dr Arshad told Pakistan Today that the district government handed over the school to the Ring Road authorities, and therefore it was their responsibility to take care of the school. He denied corruption allegations and said that the media was showing a wrong school. He said that there was no relationship between corruption charges and my suspension.
BRAVO! :
Teachers’ unions and the entire teaching community appreciated the CM on suspending the EDO and asked the CM to instruct National Accountability Bureau to start an inquiry against the EDO and Secretary Education Aslam Kamboh.
Punjab Teacher’s Union Chief Organizer Allah Rakha Gujjar lauded the CM’s step and said the teachers were frequently requesting the secretary schools to take action against the corrupt EDO. He said Dr Arshad used to tell his opponents that he had close association with the CM’s son, Hamza Shahbaz, therefore no one could take action against him. He said the teacher’s community was happy with the action taken by the CM.
Riffat, a female teacher, said all females are happy and thanks CM on suspending the EDO. She said services in the Education Department for females had become difficult owing to the EDO’s revengeful style.
She said suspension was not enough and CM should terminate the EDO. She said there were hundreds of females in the Lahore
who were targeted by the EDO on the name of rationalizations.
After the demolition of a primary school because of Ring Road construction, locals contacted the education EDO on a number of occasions for making alternative school arrangements as the female students had to travel four to five kilometers to Ludhar village for education, but the EDO paid no attention
“Female teachers are happy and thank CM on suspending the EDO. It had become difficult to service in the Education Department owing to the EDO’s revengeful style. Hundreds of females were targeted by the EDO in the name of rationalizations.
POWER MISUSE, LAX ATTITUDE – CM cracks down on ‘corrupt’ education EDO
