LAHORE: The Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) on Thursday withdrew a notification of rolling back grade-IX Islamiyat based on the Single National Curriculum (SNC) introduced by the ousted Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government.

Two days ago, the PCTB issued a notification of rolling back the SNC for the middle classes and Islamiyat for grade-IX.

The notification stated, “Draft of manuscripts of textbooks / Supplementary Reading Material (SRM) based on Single National Curriculum-2022 for grades VI-VIII and Islamiyat for grade-IX is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect.”

On Thursday, PML-Q leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi criticised move to roll back the SNC for the middle classes and Islamiyat for grade-IX. He tweeted: “The fake Punjab government has stopped implementation of SNC and Islamiyat and education on Seerat ul Nabi (SAW) in schools. The imported government wanted to please their ‘foreign master’ and they would stand against this anti religion step and would foil this conspiracy.”

Later, Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz took notice of the notification issued by the PCTB and ordered an investigation into the matter. He directed the authorities to bring facts to light after making a comprehensive inquiry and vowed to take strict action against those found responsible for it.

On the direction of the CM, the PCTB withdrew the letter said to be issued during the tenure of former CM Usman Buzdar.

The PCTB issued a new notification of cancelling rollback of Islamiyat of grade-IX.

The notification available with Dawn states: “The order regarding the withdrawal of draft manuscripts of textbooks/Supplementary Reading Material (SRM) based on Single National Curriculum-2022 for Islamiyat for grade-IX is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect which may be published.”

A press release quoted Hamza as having said that it was a notification of April 26 when Usman Buzdar was the chief minister of Punjab while he (Hamza Shahbaz) took the oath on April 30 and linking the letter with the present provincial government is tantamount to distortion of facts.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2022