RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: The decision of the Punjab government regarding the denationalization of Murray College Sialkot and Government Gordon College Rawalpindi has triggered a strong protest, as these institution have asked the government to review its decision in the interest of the students and the public.
Last week, the Punjab government approved the denationalization of Murray College and Gordon College, allowing the Christians to take over these educational institutions as per their claim to own these.
The provincial government also issued a notification in this regard.
However, the session of all the teaching staff of the Government Gordon College held on November 09, 2015 under the chairmanship of Vice President of the Local Unit Punjab Professors & Lecturers Association (PPLA) unanimously passed the resolution against the denationalization of the college.
“We strongly condemn and protest against the notification reflected in the national newspaper “Daily Express” dated 06-11-1015,” said the resolution.
The resolution said that it has been decided in the meeting that “We do not agree to the proposal of the denationalization at any cost as it goes against the wishes and interest of the students and the public at large.”
It is further identified that originally the land of the college was donated by the local Rajgans to the then government for the educational purposes and was not actually bought by the Christian community.
Similarly, the building infrastructure was built through the public donations, it is, therefore, obvious that the running of this institution prior to nationalization was in the hands of the Christian community and they were not the original owners of the public property.
The resolution urged the government to take the stakeholders, the staff of the college, in confidence before taking any decision. It said that any unilateral decision in this regard goes against the norms.
Meanwhile, the protest was also organized at the Murray College in Sialkot against the government’s decision.
The approval regarding the denationalization of both the institutions was given by the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif as per the recommendation put forward by a five-member committee.
Under the directives of the Chief Minister, both Murray College Sialkot and Gordon College Rawalpindi will be handed over back to Christians is a similar way as earlier F.C. College, now known as F.C. College University, was brought under the control of its ‘actual owners.’
However, a meeting of the committee will be held soon in which the date regarding the entrusting of both the institutions into the hands of Christians will be decided.
