ISLAMABAD: Every day 20-year-old Raja Rehan travels almost 18 kilometres from Merabagwal in rural Islamabad to a college in Rawalpindi where he is doing a course in telecommunications.

He could have been spared this long journey if the only polytechnic institute located near his village at Simly Dam would have been functioning.

About 26 years ago, the 200-room building of this institute, known as Polytechnic Institute Merabagwal, was completed. The foundation stone was jointly laid by two senior cabinet members of that time - Foreign Minister Sahabzada Yaqub Khan and Federal Minister Khaqan Abbasi, who served during Ziaul Haq regime.

“It is sad that successive governments have not shown any interest in this institute,” says Rehan, who studies at Swedish College in Rawalpindi.

The college’s building was completed in 1989, but since then no steps have been taken to start classes

“It’s unfortunate that for the last 26 years, many students like me in rural Islamabad have been deprived of an institute very close to their homes,” he said, adding that the rulers were interested in constructing roads and bridges but paying no heed to technical education.

“Majority of graduates, who do not have technical expertise, end up doing clerical jobs,” he said.

Another student, Mohammad Asif, demanded the government to pay attention to the institute.

“Isn’t technical education a priority to the government,” he added.

Officials of the Capital Administration and Development Division (CAAD), who made unsuccessful attempts to open the institute, threw light on the need of a technical institute in Islamabad.

“There was a Polytechnic Institute on Peshawar Road, Rawalpindi, which was closed down in 1977 as it had become a venue for several protests staged by students, teachers and political activists,” a senior official of CADD said.

“The military rulers of that time, in order to get rid of protests on the main road, shut down the college and later converted it into EME College. However, as an alternative, the Zia government promised to establish a new polytechnic college in Islamabad,” he added.

Later in 1985, the government decided to build the institute in Merabagwal, and for this purpose, the locals generously donated 232 kanals. The building of the college was completed in 1989.

“I still remember Khaqan Abbasi and Sahabzada Yaqub Khan laying the foundation stone. We were all very happy as we thought that within a few years, we will have a full-fledge polytechnic college, but unfortunately nothing materialised,” said Raja Qaisar, a resident of Merabagwal.

“The residents of the area, who donated 232 kanals some 30 years back, are still waiting to see the college functioning. A large number of uneducated and jobless youth of the area have become addicts. The government has the building, but lacks vision,” said Qaisar Ghaffar a local leader of PTI.

During the PPP government, former interior minister Rehman Malik reportedly tried to establish a district jail in the building, however, protests by the locals made him withdraw his plan.

It may be mentioned here that a couple of years ago CADD initiated a joint venture with Allama Iqbal Open University, whose VC of the time, Dr Nazir Sangi, pledged to commence classes in the institute within a few months, but that too ended up being a hollow promise.

According to the residents of the village, PML-N MNA Tariq Fazal Chaudhry in 2013 made several efforts to open the institute, but again it proved futile.

CADD had handed the building to AIOU on 33 years lease, and it was decided that the institute will be run by a management committee comprising officials of CADD and AIOU.

In 2013, the AIOU spent millions of rupees in renovating and repairing the building but then abandoned it.

Javed Akhtar, a spokesman for AIOU, admitted that there had been delay in starting the classes.

“We are committed to starting classes in the institute. A meeting of the management committee would soon be held during which some amendments to the agreement between the AIOU and CADD would be carried out,” he added.

Secretary CADD Khalid Hanif claimed that he did not have any latest information on the project.

“The last development I am aware of is that CADD had handed the building to the AIOU. I would look into the matter and find out where the project stands,” Mr Hanif added.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2015

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