Pakistan - Inadequate security at schools leaves parents concerned

Despite categorical instructions by the Punjab government for ensuring foolproof security of the educational institutions to ward off any threat by the terrorists, there are claims and counter claims regarding arrangements by the schools and the district education office in Rawalpindi. According to reports, hundred percent guards at government run schools are performing their duties without required arms and ammunition. In most of the cases, chowkidars have been given the task of security guards. Most of them have no weapons and are not even trained for the use of metal detectors. Due to poor security arrangements, parents say the lives of their children are at risk. The District Education Officer Qazi Zahoorul Haq in an interview has however claimed that there is foolproof security of ‘A’ and ‘B’ categories of schools and instructions have been issued that no security lapse would be tolerated. He said after approval by the provincial government, retired army security guards would be recruited and the process would be completed in a month. On the other hand Rawalpindi Head Masters Association’s District President, Dr Saghir Alam and other office bearers have demanded of the provincial government to issue arms licenses to schools according to the strength of children in schools.