BAHAWALPUR: The century-old dysfunctional clock on a tower of the Government Sadiq Dane (SD) High School building near Farid Gate was replaced with a new one at midnight between Aug 13 and 14. The move was given a symbolic significance on the eve of the 69th Independence Day.

The college administration, MPA Dr Syed Waseem Akhtar, Punjab Minister for Cooperatives Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar, Commissioner Saqib Zafar and DCO Imran Sikandar Baloch inaugurated the clock. It was followed by massive fireworks display and Cholistan music was played to mark the occasion.

The S.D. High School building was completed in 1906 during the defunct State’s era.

According to minister Malik Iqbal, the clock made by the British Big Bang company was erected on the tower around 1922. It continued to give wake-up call to the thin population of the then small old city of Bahawalpur for several years.

Once the clock stopped functioning, it was not repaired. But, according to Malik Channar, it was about 30 years back when it went out of order and and all attempts to have it repaired failed.

Last year, the commissioner took the initiative and has now replaced it.

There were many other ID events and MNA Begum Perveen Masood Bhatti, MPA Haseen Naz and Commissioner Saqib Zafar hoisted the national flag at Dring Stadium and distributed sweets among the children of paediatric ward of the Bahawal Victoria Hospital.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2015

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