Recent agitation against the Punjab government on the intermediate result
fiasco, underscores the growing wedge between the youth and a Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz (PML-N) desperate to woe the younger generation. The protests could
not have come at a worse time for the Sharif’s, who are trying to mobilise the
public against the federal government. Following the cancellation of the
intermediate exams at four Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE)
centres in Punjab, students and the youth have raised fingers at the credentials
of the Punjab Chief Minister (CM) to mount an anti-corruption campaign against
the federal government. The failure of the online examination system across
Punjab has sparked anger that now risks the 28 October rally by the Sharif
brothers against the federal government, Pakistan Today learnt on Sunday.
Students have asked on what grounds are the Sharif brothers taking out a rally
against corruption when the education boards in their own province had become
the hub of corruption. While the Punjab CM was visiting education institutes to
garner support, the cancellation of Inter-1 result at four BISE boards,
including Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan and Faisalabad, sparked rage amongst
students who chanted slogans against Shahbaz and Nawaz Sharif and set Punjab
government advertisements on fire. After his Inter result was cancelled, student
Wasif Ali said,
“Everytime I find the Punjab CM criticising corruption by the federal
government, I want to ask him: what happened at the four BISE boards, Mr CM?”
– Wasif Ali
“Is it because of his love for education that no permanent education minister
has been appointed in Punjab,” he said, “the education ministry has failed due
to its incompetence and the CM should not expect the youth to turn up at his
rally.”
“The parents of female students are sitting on roads and chanting slogans
against the Punjab government but his government has ordered police to beat up
students protesting for their rights. Why should we join him in the rally?”
Kashif asked. Another intermediate student, Adeel Ahmad said it was ironic the
PML-N was holding a rally against corruption when the CM himself was supervising
corruption in Punjab. “While Shahbaz has rightly suspended the BISE Chairman and
Controller, no action has been initiated against the man behind the fiasco, BISE
It Consultant Dr Majid Naeem, who is related to a PML-leader,” Adeel said.
He said it was common knowledge that Dr Majid had corruptions cases registered
against Majid, who had been terminated from Punjab University on corruption
charges. He said the fact that the PML-N was turning a blind eye to Majid’s
corruption, showed their hypocrisy.