All books depicting incorrect Pakistan map taken off shelves

Govt forms committee to fix responsibility on officials concerned

The Punjab government has ordered to withdraw text books of geography for class 8 students from market after it was found the text contain maps of Saraikistan and Hazara carved out in the areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa.

The books were printed and published by Punjab Text Book Board (PTBB).

“The provincial education minister has taken notice of the wrong maps and as per the department finding, 50,000 books out of 150,000 books contained wrong maps,” said a statement issued by the provincial education ministry.

The education minister has also constituted four-member committee under chairman the PTBB to investigate the matter, read the statement.

Interestingly, the PTBB chairman has been made the head of the committee despite the fact that the maps were printed under his direct supervision.

Meanwhile, Punjab Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan has said that stern action would be taken against those elements responsible for ‘deliberate’ mistakes in geography book of class 8. Director Humanities Shahida Javed had been repatriated whereas Assistant Subject Specialist Geography Habib Haider and Illustrator Irhan Ahmad were terminated two weeks ago when the issue was reported.

To probe further, a 6-member committee has been constituted, which will present its report within two days.

The minister expressed these views while addressing the meeting of Chairmen of educational boards from all over the province.

The minister said that the government is introducing automation system in all boards for the facility of the students and a review report will be formulated after every three months for adjudging the performance of all boards. He said that transparency is the hallmark of the government and third party evaluation of the process of automation will be conducted for maintaining it.

“Mistakes in the book of geography are a serious issue and a 6-member committee headed by PCTB Chairman Lt General (r) Muhammad Akram Khan has been constituted for investigation of the matter,” Mashhood remarked. \

Members of the committee include Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran, Punjab Examination Commission Chairman Dr Khalid Hameed Sheikh, Punjab Examination Commission CEO Nasir Iqbal Malik, DSD Project Director Ehsan Bhutta and Special Secretary Schools Education Ahmad Ali Kamboh.

The Punjab education minister said that the government will make the report of the committee public and ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future.

He said that the book carrying mistakes has not been sent to any government school whereas its printing has been stopped after identification of mistakes. He said that 50 thousand books available in the market are being retrieved.