A school clerk has transformed a government high school in Hazro, a tehsil in Attock, by painting murals on its walls, winning praise from the government officials as well as the school administration for his labour of love.

“I am an artist by birth and my passion for mural painting runs like blood in my body,” said Tanveer Qureshi while talking to Dawn in his office. He added that he joined the education department as a clerk to earn a living, while also keeping his passion alive.

He said that although his artwork has won hearts and applause, he could not use his skill to earn money despite years of work. Mr Qureshi termed his painting skills a “God-gifted ability”, saying that he had not gone to any school or academy to train in the arts. He said that “nature” was the main theme of his work, and he preferred painting landscapes.

Speaking about his work, Khalida Jabeen, the principal of the high school, said the artwork by Mr Qureshi also led to a surge in enrolment. “Like any other government school, the enrolment remained thin and the dropout rate was always high at this school, but it was months-long, untiring and dedicated work of Tanveer that turned the school into a favourite place of the students, and we are unable to accommodate a higher number of candidates,” she claimed.

Dr Khalid Mehmood, a senior official of the education department, said Mr Qureshi was a valuable treasure of the department. He said that despite his hectic professional responsibilities, Tanveer Qureshi sacrificed his evenings and weekends to convert the plain walls of the school into one of the ‘must-see’ places in Hazro. He said the Attock deputy commissioner, Rao Atif Raza, also called Mr Qureshi to his office and awarded him with a commendation certificate, in addition to a cash prize for the recognition of his services to the education department.

District Education Authority Chief Executive Dr Muhammad Akhlaq said that Rana Sikandar Hayat, Punjab minister for education, also lauded his work and announced a special prize for the clerk.

“From outside and inside, the school looks like a branch of some international school system, which not only attracts students, parents and visitors but also causes a positive psychological and academic impact on the students,” claimed Nisar Ali Khan, a resident of the area.

Speaking about his work, Mr Qureshi said decorating and beautifying the walls of the school was just the beginning, as he had “more ideas up his sleeve” and he wanted to transform all the schools in the area using his skills, subject to the support of the relevant authorities, particularly for his art supplies. “…I continue to seek support from the authorities to materialise my dream of converting all schools in the area into a ‘masterpiece of art’ with a more attractive look than the famous private schools in the country,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2025