MNA seeks arrest of Langlands School principal, BoG member
CHITRAL: Member National Assembly (MNA) Molana Abdul Akbar Chitrali on Monday demanded the government immediately arrest British principal of Langlands School and College along with a local member of its governing body for alleged corruption.
Speaking at a press conference along with parents, lawyers, protesting teachers and civil society activists, he said opening of the school on court order was not enough as “we want arrest of Carey Scholfield and BoG member Shahzada Siraj Ulmulk for their alleged involvement in systematic corruption in school funds.”
He also demanded the government order a through probe into the alleged embezzlement in school funds under one pretext or another.
“Siraj Ulmulk [a local BoG member] and Co under the garb of civil society are trying to grab 54 chakorum land of the school which the people of Chitral will never allow to happen.”
According to him, on the one hand it was claimed that Ms Carey was working as a principal on a voluntary basis and on the other she was doled out Rs5.9 million under the head of her accommodation expenses for a period during which she stayed out of the country when her visa was blocked by the then interior minister.
“What is the justification with the principal to withdraw Rs10,550,121 from Bank Al-Falah Chitral branch and pay it to the hotel owned by Sirjul Ulmulk. Besides, how the principal withdrew over one million rupees with a single signature,” he questioned.
He said other monthly expenses of the principal were not included in whatever amount she had withdrawn from the bank with the help of the school’s non-existent BoG.
He said two members of the school’s BoG – Shahzada Siraj and Shahzada Masud Ulmulk – belonged to the same family which was in no way acceptable.
“The sitting deputy commissioner and some parents should be made members of the school’s BoG and the current members should immediately be removed,” he maintained.
He also came down hard on Ms Carey for “harassing” a senior most female teacher of the school when she went to the school on the insistence of the parents on Monday.
He said the principal not only stopped the female teacher from entering the school but also harassed her after she refused to sign an undertaking.
The MNA said a writ petition will soon be filed in Peshawar High Court (PHC) in consultation with other stakeholders against former chief minister Pervez Khattak, the commissioner Malakand Division and others for handing over the land of the school to a private society by ending the role of the deputy commissioner.
“I’m going to challenge this in Peshawar High Court as why such a big institution was left at the mercy of a handful of individuals,” he said.
Molana is right to say all that. Do not use inappropriate words for Molana. If he does not possess a big business, never mind. He is a poor, common but an honourable man who has not collected any fortune by corruption. He is the one who worked hard for the tunnel of Lawari while many opposed that.
The one who has excluded DC from the Board of Governors and who has included people not concerned with the system of education has created all the problem that makes people suffer . Is it not as easy to usurp an institution?
When an institution is tried to be dragged into a purpose other than education then certainly it will face anti-educational based repercussions.
The MNA’s tirade may be understandable as he needs some issue (mostly non issue) to blow up, inorder to keep himself politically alive. What is sad is that parents including well educated doctors, lawyers etc are also opposing the lady. The actual biggest grievance of these parents is that their children are not allowed to cheat in exams which is unacceptable to them because they themselves have grown up in a culture where cheating in exams has been considered a normal thing.
dear you can not call it a non issue. It has been the most hot issue for the last 3 weeks in Chitral.
How Maulana will explain where did all the funds that were earmarked for local government go. There are no audits and no out cry, it is very clear to everyone that who is in the local government for the last 10 years.
This person has proven his immaturity time and again. He only wants to play politics on issues instead of resolving them. He could not open Lowari tunnel, he could not finish unjustified load shedding, he could not solve drinking water problem. Only fond of firing into the air opposing personalities instead of addressing issues. That is not what an MNA is supposed to do.
How sad the MNA once again shoots himself in the foot. He get over excited by the decision of a court that has no authority to decide the issue before it. The Peshawar High Court has unequivocally said that this is the domain of the Private School Regulating Authority. What the MNA could have done was to sit with the parents, the students, the Board of Governors and brought about a reconciliation and made all of them to agree to the issues which are being agitated and regarding which each party has strong views. The issues are: How many teachers are agitation. Information in Chitral shows that only 10% are involved and the rest like good old Chitralis keep quiet and behave like gentlemen; find out how many students are involved; find out the problems in the school: how many of them are genuine and how many just a fiction to whim up frenzy; have a look at the Accounts which the school auditors who are a reputable firm say are in order and to come to an agreement if any funds are abused. Lastly see if the governance can be improved through greater inclusivity and broadenining it. These are issues for educationist and not for the Maulana who should refrain from getting into issues which he little understands. A little bit of humility will do him a lot of good. Another piece of advice is for some of my friends on this forum who blame every second person a thief. It so interesting hearing this. Can the good Maulana explain where did all the funds that were earmarked for local government go. There are no audits. Indeed there are untraceable both on the books and in the field. In the school we are talking of Rs 120 million or so with most of it having gone into salaries so its easily traceable but the local government funds are not. But no one is called a thief. Similarly someone should also investigate all the Disaster Management Funds which I am told disappeared in the duplication of work. The crusaders in the Chitral Towm dont talk about this because it too close to home
Interesting Development.
MNA ko langlad ke elwa corruption nazar nhi arehi. Dunya ham par hans rehe hain.
Ye jab parliament jata hai to Pakistan ka saddar ban ne ki koshish karta hai or pata nhi. Ye saab parliament mai apne ap ko Pakistan or Umma ka bara rahnuma banata nazar a raha hai. Jahan inki zaroorat he hi nhi. Ye wohan kod parta hai.
Chitral ke masale is baba ko nazar nhi ate.
Corruption inko sirf aik private school ma nazar ayi. Inka apne idaron ke magar machon ke baare mai b kuch to bole. DC Office se Tehsil tak sab chor bhete hain.
AKRSP or SRSP ke chororn ka kia?