BEFORE freedom, the subcontinent was divided into British India, the territory held and governed by the British Crown, and Princely India, comprising about 560 states ruled by despotic families. The princely states were semi-autonomous as far as their internal affairs were concerned. Some of the rulers were, however, compassionate and took keen interest in the welfare of their subjects.

The state of Khairpur Mir’s in Sindh was also fortunate to have Mir Ali Nawaz Khan Talpur ‘Naz’, a benign sovereign who allocated 26pc of the budget to state education. Naz High School, Khairpur, after nationalisation Govt. Naz Pilot Secondary High School, Khairpur, was one of the few good educational institutions of pre-partition days, established by the prince to provide free education to the people of Khairpur.

Many great educationists and scholars, eminent jurists, distinguished civil servants and renowned politicians owe their place in society because of the above institution. The incumbent and erstwhile chief ministers, Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Syed Ghous Ali Shah, were also students of Naz High School, Khairpur.

Unfortunately, as reported in a section of the press (March 8), the educational institution of such historical significance has been deprived of 80 acres of its valuable possession.

According to the report, this reprehensible and unpardonable act has been done by some mischievous revenue officials, who changed the revenue record illegally, so as to allot 80 acres of school land to some influential builder.

Thus, an institution that provides education to more than 5,000 students of Khairpur and the adjoining districts has been deprived of its future development. Sadly this wrong has been perpetrated on the alma mater of the chief minister.

I appeal to civil society and the chief minister to get the wrong undone at once so that education does not suffer.

M.H. Kureshi

Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2015

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