MINGORA, June 23: The Overseas Pakistanis' Foundation (OPF) has closed down its schools in Chakdara, Dir lower, rendering 19 staffer members jobless. The closure would deprive over 350 students of an opportunity to get education as it was the sole school of this kind in this backward area.

Parents and staff members have appealed to President Gen Pervez Musharaf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali to order restoration of the school in the best interest of the people.

Some of the staff members, while talking to this correspondent, said the OPF on the one hand had issued their termination orders and on the other announced vacancies, which was a glaring example of difference in deeds and words of authorities concerned.

They said the school building had been vacated by the district government of Dir but the OPF authorities had refused to avail it for unknown reasons. They termed the termination orders a complete injustice with the employees and demanded of the authorities of the OPF to reconsider their cases on humanitarian grounds.

They said they had spent the prime part of their age in the OPF and their termination orders just before their retirement was a great injustice as they would be unable to get jobs in any other department as they were now overage. They demanded that instead of termination, the staffers should be accommodated in some other government schools.