MANSEHRA, June 1: As many as 53 children, who lost their one or both parents in the Oct 8 earthquake, have been promoted to next classes after having passed their annual examinations.

A prize distribution ceremony of the Al-Islah centre was held on Friday. It was attended by District Police Officer Waqas Nazeer, Jamaat-i-Islami district amir Younas Khatak and Zia Foundation chairman Sheraz Mehmood Qurashi.

The centre, which was established in Mansehra to accommodate and educate orphans after the earthquake, declared its first annual examination results. All students were declared passed.

Class-II student Jamshed secured the first position, with 475 marks out of 600. The centre provides free of cost all educational and boarding facilities to the orphans.

Waqas Nazeer and Younas Khatak on the occasion said that it was the responsibility of every citizen to take care of these orphan students. “Islam stresses much on its followers to be kind and merciful with the orphans and considers it as a great job.”

Later, prizes and trophies were distributed among position-holders of the centre.