SWABI: A primary school in Gandaf was locked by a land owner after Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s leaders allegedly appointed another person as class-IV instead of him, here on Thursday.

Fazal Qayum, a resident of Gandaf village, had donated more than two kanals of his land for the establishment of the Government Primary School, Mulakhel on the understanding that he would be given a job at the institution.

Waseem Khan, nephew of the landowner, said their only demand was that a member of their family be given a job at the school. He said they had approached MPA Rangaiz Khan because the school fell within his constituency.

However, he alleged that the MPA later had a PTI supporter appointed to the post.

He said MPA Rangaiz Khan and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser would be responsible for any untoward incident arising from the dispute.

When contacted, officials in the district education department said that under the practice followed in the district a person who provides land free of cost for a government school or other public institution was entitled to a job at the facility.

They alleged that PTI leaders had violated the established practice and deprived the landowner of the job.

“When more than 400 students including girls and their teachers arrived at the school in the morning, they found the institution locked and were forced to sit outside in the open,” a local resident said.

Soon afterwards, head teacher Nisar Muhammad recorded a video showing teachers standing beside him while students could be seen sitting in the open in the background. The video subsequently went viral on social media.

Later, additional assistant commissioner Topi Dr Yamin Sana reached the site along with a police team and reviewed the situation. She ordered that the school be reopened by removing the locks so that teaching activities could resume.

Legal action was subsequently initiated against the landowner for locking the school and disrupting educational activities.

A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Dawn that the landowner had been arrested and would face legal action for disrupting the educational activities.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2026