BAHAWALPUR: The Punjab government will establish 250 informal primary schools for children of over 2,000 brick kiln workers in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan districts.

This was announced at a meeting held here on Saturday regarding measures to be taken for welfare of brick kiln workers and their families. Additional Commissioner Rana Shehzad Saeed presided over the meeting.

Before launching the project, respective district administrations will undertake a comprehensive survey of the kilns and proposed locations for setting up these schools.

The meeting was told that Bahawalpur district with about 250 labourers in 154 brick kilns could have 50 informal schools by June 2015, while Rahim Yar Khan district with 600 workers in 256 kilns 200 informal schools. Bahawalnagar district with 200 workers in over 132 kilns is likely to have 40 schools. Out of the 50 schools in Bahawalpur, 14 are likely to be functional by the end of this month.

SECURITY: District Coordination Officer Imran Sikandar Baloch said foolproof security measures would be taken at 26 places for Christians on the occasion of Christmas.

Two Christmas bazaars in Hasilpur and Bahawalpur would be set up for Christians.

MOCK: Personnel of intelligence agencies accompanied by officials of Rangers, police, army and Elite Force carried out a mock exercise of a terrorist attack on a jail.

Security is on a high alert around the jail. Authorities have installed mobile phone jammers around the premises. The superintendent said the security plan was being monitored round the clock to meet any eventuality.

SUC: District chapter of the Sunni Ulema Council in its meeting held on Saturday condemned the Peshawar carnage and expressed grief over the loss of lives of children.

The participants through a resolution demanded the government immediately announce its dissociation from the “American” war against terrorism. They also reviewed the arrangements for the 12th Rabiul Awwal conference to be held at Eidgah.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-i-Islami Punjab emir and its parliamentary leader in Punjab Assembly Dr Waseem Akhtar at a function also condemned the Peshawar incident and said it was a question mark over the performance of law enforcement agencies and the government of Pakistan.

He called for national unity in all ranks and suspected the incident was a conspiracy of the Indian Research and Analysis Wing and Mosad.

He said all political parties should demonstrate unity to foil “nefarious designs of our enemies”.

Published in Dawn December 21th , 2014