Tug of war over DEO's replacement takes another turn

ISLAMABAD, June 4: The ongoing tug of war to replace the district education officer (female) with a political appointee took a new turn on Tuesday when another woman emerged as a potential candidate for the slot. Highly credible sources close to provincial minister for education Muhammad Atif Khan told ChitralToday that the woman’s name, having a masters degree in Islamiat, who was earlier the most favourit choice of the minister for the DEO (female) Chitral, had been dropped. They said the minister directed the concerned officers of his ministry early Tuesday morning to find a substitute candidate, except former DEO Zohra Jalal, to fill the position. The sources further stated that on the directives of the PTI minister was given the name of another Chitrali woman who is a ranker with a masters’ degree in Urdu. But the husband of the likely candidate, who is also a government official, the sources added, has set some unique conditions after the name of his wife was considered for the slot. The sources close to the husband of the lady teacher, whose name has almost been finalized, has made it clear to the minister that he would not allow any male staff at the office of the DEO (female) Chitral if his wife was picked up for the position. Another thing which the husband of the would-be DEO (female) was quoted as saying that no male would be allowed to meet his wife in her office, adding the male staff and male relatives of the female teachers would strictly be banned on the premises of the DEO (female) office. The notables of the area have expressed grave concern over the attitude of the provincial education minister as he has made up his mind to destroy the girls’ education in the district by taking such wrong decisions. They ridiculed the proposed restrictions by the husband of the would-be EDO saying women teachers from the far-flung areas of the district could not personally visit the office of DEO (female) and the restriction by her husband would equally affect the female education as well as the image of the PTI government in the province. The people also threatened to stage a hunger strike outside the Bani Gala residence of PTI chairman Imran if his party minister kept on targeting a highly qualified deserving lady officer [Zohra Jalal] of Chitral without any reason. They appealed o the PTI chairman Imran to take serious notice of the minister’s stubbornness, and that too with a lady officer who has a track record of successfully managing the girls’ schools in the area, which is reflected from the support of leaders of different political who condemned her removal. The minister did not pick up the phone despite repeated attempts at his cell number till filing of this report.  ]]>