Islamia Higher Secondary School Liaquat Bagh loses land
Rawalpindi: The first ever school built for the Muslims in Rawalpindi is fast losing its land to encroachers and is left with only 16 kanals out of the over 42 kanals it once owned, it has been learnt.
The Government Islamia Higher Secondary School, opposite Liaquat Bagh, has already lost its playgrounds to alleged encroachers while its ownership on seven kanals is being questioned by many others.
According to a letter written to the secretary education Punjab by the principal of the school in March 2010, the school was established in 1886 by Anjuman-i-Islam Rawalpindi.
The 42.3 kanal land was mutated in the name of the Punjab government in 1972 when the institution was nationalised under the martial law regulations.
According to the letter, a piece of land measuring seven kanals and three marlas was leased out to a gardener of the school in 1947 when he started a nursery.
After the death of Farman Ali, the gardener, his son obtained a succession certificate and started trying to transfer the valuable land in his name. Meanwhile, another family living in Karachi claimed ownership on the land.
In June 2008, a sub-registrar refused to register a sale deed of the land by a woman in the name of a private person saying the supporting documents did not confirm the ownership of the seller.
The alleged land grabbers moved the office of the registrar against his subordinate and got the decision in their favour in January 2010 and, subsequently, the sale deed was documented. In the meanwhile, another party started claiming the ownership of the land. As a result, three private parties and the school administration entered into litigation in different civil courts.
In the official letter, it has been alleged that almost all documents including the sale deeds and identity cards to claim the ownership of the school land have been found fake and bogus. In this regard, a criminal case was registered in May 2005 against the private persons and revenue officials for tampering with the documents, the letter contained.
The school administration has requested the education department to deal with the encroachers with an iron hand and refer the matter to the Anti-Corruption Establishment for criminal action against them.
The secretary education has also been requested to depute a legal officer to pursue the case and save the precious school land from the alleged land grabbers.
A former principal of the school said the institution's land had shrunk to 16 kanals after its playgrounds were gradually encroached upon and the gate leading to the grounds on the backside was closed.
He said the school building was historical and it was visited by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah in 1940 when he addressed a public meeting arranged by the All-India Muslim League in the city. Old teachers of the institution stressed the need to save the historical school and protect its land from land grabbers. Dawn
