August 18, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 15, 1429

FAISALABAD, Aug 17: The Punjab government has ordered supplying electricity to the 110 high schools lacking the facility, it is learnt.

Sources said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif ordered all district governments to arrange electricity connections in these institutions by Aug 30.

Up to 75 boys’ and 35 girls’ schools in 23 districts of Punjab have no electricity facility. Rawalpindi is on top of the list with 15 schools, while Mianwali, Okara, Sheikhupura and Toba Tek Singh are the only districts having one school each without power connections.

Attock has nine schools without electricity; Bahawalnagar, nine; Bahawalpur seven; Dera Ghazi Khan, 11; Faisalabad, four; Gujranwala, two; Toba Tek Singh, one; Gujrat, two; Jhang, five; Khanewal, five; Khushab, three; Sheikhupura, one; Layyah, six; Lodhran, four; Mianwali, one, Muzaffargarh, six; Nankana Sahib, two; Narowal, five; Okara, one; Rahim Yar Khan, four; Rajanpur, four; Rawalpindi, 15, and Sargodha three schools.

Sources said many times district governments had asked the Punjab government to release funds for electricity, but to no avail.

A district government officer confirmed that they had been given Aug 30 a deadline to provide electricity to such institutions. However, he said the education department was told to make feasibility report for electricity accessibility in such institutions as soon as possible.