Chitral school

E-Paper | March 12, 2026

REFERENCE J.K. Tareen’s letter (June30). Some facts need to be corrected.

I was the Deputy Commissioner who started the Langlands School, then called Sayurj Public School, in 1989 in Chitral. The school was started not because my children needed a school but because government schools were in a shambles.

Therefore, I decided to set up an English-medium high-quality school. I gave the DC’s Rest House as the school building, made the furniture, and purchased books etc from funds available at my disposal.

Ms Mairaj, Mr Tareen’s wife and my wife, Dr Riffat, helped in interviewing the students and teachers and finalising the syllabus. I have a photograph of the three ladies busy interviewing.

The problem started when we couldn’t find trained teachers who could teach in English. A lot of tourists used to visit Chitral and I asked my staff to send in any British ladies. I convinced Ms Julliette, Nicola and late Louise, God bless her soul, to stay back and teach in our school. Sophie Swire joined shortly afterwards. Julliette acted as principal while dynamic Sophie took on the responsibility to send five new teachers every year.

Ten million rupees were raised in three months. Chief Minister Aftab Sherpao gave Rs 3 million, while Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto gave Rs 5 million and I got another Rs 2 million from the government. I promptly purchased 25 acres of land where the school is now situated.

Major Langlands was recruited by me much later but to his credit, a man who had been the principal of a cadet college, he agreed to become the principal of a junior school. He was the rock on which the school progressed up to FSc. Having spent 23 years, he recently retired at the age of 95 years.

This is a fine establishment whose graduates have gone on to become teachers, lawyers, civil servants and army officers. I think everyone must set aside petty politics and contribute, in any way they can, for the stability and good of the school and college.

Javed Majid

Lahore

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2015

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Newspaper

Ill-conceived sense of urban progress

Damaging proposal

Public trust

Darjat

Jul 08, 2015 08:52am

Thank your sir -Javed Majid for the great initiative and sharing about the very first phase of the project. One bright officer's initiative offers quality education in the remote part of the country. I wonder if all the DCs of the country take initiatives of any sort , not only schools , which is close to their heart and mined for the good of the country. The current administrative issue of the school must be resolved , if not the ex DC needs to intervene for the good of the students ! Thank you Javed Majid

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faisal soofi

Jul 09, 2015 02:27pm

Hats off Sir for ur selfless devotion to the cause of education in the remotest corner of Pakistan, Chitral. Ms Schofield the lady who took charge as Principal after Mr Langland's retirement has done a remarkable job turning the school around, she has worked tirelessly and done all she possibly could in the shortest span to turn it into a high ranking educational institution , that it deserves to be. I quote you Mr Javed Majid ," This is a fine establishment whose graduates have gone on to become teachers, lawyers, civil servants and army officers. I think everyone must set aside petty politics and contribute, in any way they can, for the stability and good of the school and college." A fine establishment it is going to be indeed, as soon as Ms Carey Schofield returns to Chitral and resumes her duties as Principal of the school & college.

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