SIALKOT, Oct 25: The malaise that is encroachment has become so deep-seated in society that even the district and provincial governments sometimes fail to get the buildings vacated from the land grabbers.

Sialkot is one such place where many state-run schools have for years been illegally occupied by the people with political connections and support by influential segments.

One such group is running a gymnasium at a government school whose building it has illegally occupied in the city’s congested locality under the nose of the Tehsil Municipal Administration.

The ground of the Government Islamia High School for Boys is being used as a community centre where marriage ceremonies are arranged. Although there is no legal justification for the public to use a school ground for arranging functions, many people told Dawn that they paid the school management for the purpose.

Sources said the buildings of 21 schools were either fully or partially occupied by the local extortion mafia allegedly enjoying the blessings of the politicians.

The building of the Government Boys Elementary School, Maharaja Road, has since 1995 been used as a gymnasium. Despite the repeated appeals made by social and educational circles, the district and provincial governments are unable to save the place for schoolgoing children.

According to record, the Government Girls Primary School, Nandpur, Daska, has been occupied by the local influentials since 2005, the girls primary school, Kamlay Bhaag, Pasrur, since 2002, girls primary School at Chak Sadaavey, Sialkot, since 1985 and the girls school at Daska’s Jandwala area has been occupied for the last decade. Some people have converted the last mentioned school building into a cattle shed.

The number of schools partially occupied in this neck of the wood is quite high; the Arabic High School, Sialkot, is one of them which has been partially occupied since 1987 under the nose of the TMA.

The district monitoring team has paid a visit to the Girls Primary School at Gorian (Sialkot tehsil), which has been partially occupied by a group since 1987, and sent the details to the provincial and district governments for taking action but there is no response from the authorities concerned.

It is learnt that the classes of seven schools are being held at graveyards situated in various rural parts of Sialkot.

Executive District Officer (Education) Dr Mukhtar expressed ignorance about the situation, saying: “I have recently been appointed to the office and don’t have much idea about illegal occupation of school buildings”.

District Coordination Officer Atta Muhammad Khan, upon contact, asked the EDO (education) to launch an immediate drive to get these buildings vacated from the grabbers. He said strict action would be taken against the illegal occupants.