MANSEHRA: Shabab-i-Milli and Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba on Tuesday took out a rally to protest changes in the school curricula and asked the government to restore the deleted lessons regarding Islamic and national history.

“We will not allow the government to delete lessons regarding Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Islamic history in the curricula and to include lessons regarding Mahatma Gandi and Nelson Mendela,” said Kamran Riaz, the Shabab-i-Milli president, while speaking at the protest.

The joint rally, which was taken out from the technical college culminated at Khatma-i-Nabuwwat chowk after marching on various roads.

The protesters majority of them students were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans in support of their demands. They also chanted against the government for allegedly introducing western culture in the curricula.

“We warn the government not to follow nongovernmental organisations’ agenda, otherwise we would launch anti-government drive as we want to educate our children regarding history of Islam and national leaders and would not allow removal of such precious lessons from the curricula,” said Mr Riaz.

On the occasion, Shabab-i-Milli divisional nazim Shakeel Ahmad said that lessons related to Prophet Muhammad, Hazrat Aesha, Quaid-i-Azam, Allama Iqbal had been deleted from curricula and lessons related to Ranjeet Singh, Mahatma Gandi, Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Buddha been incorporated in the curricula.

He warned the government to immediately revive deleted lessons from Urdu, Islamiat and Pak Studies books, otherwise they would be left with no option but to hold public rallies and protest across the province and the country.

ENROLMENT DRIVE: The tehsil administration and education department on Tuesday organised an awareness rally in Balakot about enrolment of children in school.

The rally was taken out from government high school and culminated at Ayub Bridge after marching through various roads. The participants, who were holding banners and placards, raised slogans in support of the child education without any gender discrimination.

“We will extend every sort of cooperation to the education department in sending every child to school,” said Shahid Mehmood, the Balakot assistant commissioner, while speaking at the rally.

He said that though people of urban areas of the tehsil were highly sensitised to children education there was still much to be done in that regard in rural localities.

On the occasion, Mansehra district education officer Gohar Ali said that student enrolment drive would continue till December 30. He said that out-of-school children would be enrolled in all the 59 union councils of the district. However, he sought people’s help in making the drive a success.

MAN FOUND DEAD: The body of a taxi driver, who had gone missing two days ago, was found in a deserted place in Sathan Galli area in the limits of Buttle police station here on Tuesday. Eyewitnesses said that Mohammad Nasir didn’t return home after two men booked him from Channia taxi stand for Sathan Galli area two days ago.

The body was taken to King Abdullah Teaching Hospital from Buttle civil hospital where family members identified him as Mohammad Nasir. Meanwhile, Buttle and city police have constituted a join team to trace the culprits.

In another incident, a young man was axed to death by his opponents over a land dispute in Ogra area. The body was handed over to relatives after autopsy at the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital.

The Saddar police registered FIR and began investigation to apprehend the accused who fled the scene.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2014