The Punjab government has approved the transfer of a century-old high school in Jhika Gali, Murree, to make way for a judicial complex, sparking outrage among locals and educational advocates.
What has further fueled the controversy is that during a meeting with provincial authorities, the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court (LHC) personally instructed the authorities to expedite the transfer of the school’s land to the judiciary within a mere seven days.
The decision has raised concerns about the future of the students who are currently enrolled in the school, especially in an area where educational facilities are already limited.
The Board of Revenue (Colonies Department), Punjab, issued orders to the local administration to execute the transfer, a move criticized as a blatant disregard for the value of education and the heritage of the school.
In an official letter dated August 28, Deputy Secretary (Colonies-I) of the Board of Revenue requested the Deputy Commissioner of Rawalpindi and Additional Deputy Commissioner of Murree to identify an alternative piece of state land for the Government M.C High School Jhika Gali, Murree, while the historic school’s fate hangs in the balance.
Simultaneously, an Assistant Registrar of the LHC issued instructions to the District and Sessions Judge, Rawalpindi, to take possession of the contested land, signalling the contentious path ahead for this controversial project.