RAWALPINDI: Police have registered cases against heads of 13 government and private schools for not making proper security arrangements in their institutions.

Among those who were booked under the 14-Punjab Security Ordinance 2015 were the principal of Allied School, Ratta Amral, Mohammad Afaq; principal of Alfalah School Shahzad Colony, Hafiz Ziaur Rehman, and the principal of Noorul Ain School, Nawab Colony, Zahir Ali.

Six women were also included among the school principals booked under the new law. Police said the principals of the government girls degree college, Dhoke Hassu, and government girls’ high school, Dhoke Hassu, were also booked.

Zafar Iqbal, a sub inspector of the Ratta Amral police, who is leading the investigation into the cases, told Dawn that the two female principals had already been served notices and given a deadline of 30 days to improve security in their institutions but they ignored the directions.

He said under the new law, the accused can face an imprisonment and fine if convicted by the court. However, women booked under the new laws are given relaxations as they are usually granted bail. The police said the administrations of the Pakistan Public School, Al-Rasheed Public School and Kehkashan Model School, Dhoke Hassu, had made wall-chalking announcing admissions in their institutes.

Following the terrorist attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar in December 2014, the education department had been directed to make foolproof security arrangements in schools to avert any such tragedy in future. And under the National Action Plan, all the government and private schools have been served notices by the law enforcement agencies to improve their security within 30 days.

The government has also outlined a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the security of private and government schools in the district.

When contacted, police sub-inspector Mohammad Ashraf said no arrest had been made so far. However, the principals booked under the new law could be arrested any time, he added.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2015

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