KARACHI, Dec 9: The Pasban Pakistan, a Karachi-based NGO working in the quake-hit areas of the NWFP and Azad Kashmir, on Friday condemned the closure of its school in Hassa area of Balakot by the army and forcing its students to join another school established by the UNICEF.

The Secretary Information of Pasban Pakistan, Azam Minhas, in a statement said that a former President of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Lahore, who was currently working for the UNICEF, was behind the closure of the Pasban Umeed School in the Hassa area of Balakot through the army.

He told that over 250 children were studying in the school set up on Oct 24, 2005 by the Pasban for quake-affected children. After a few days, the UNICEF also opened a school in the same area, but it drew little response from the local children, he added.

“After several attempts, the UNICEF representative, Yasmeen Rashid, got our school closed with the help of an army officer, Major Asif. The major sent some jawans, who removed the school’s board and asked children to flee and never attend classes at that school,” he added.—PPI