Azma cautions Punjab Governor against interfering in provincial affairs
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has called on Punjab Governor Saleem Haider Khan to stop interfering in the provincial administrative matters and to refrain from acting like the opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Radio Pakistan reported.
The governor has expressed opposition to various initiatives of the provincial government including managing government schools through public-private partnerships and the appointment process for university vice-chancellors. During a meeting with students, he remarked that the Sindh government, led by the PPP, allocates three times more funding for education and health than Punjab.
In response, Ms. Bokhari reminded the governor that his role is strictly that of a federal representative and that he has no authority over administrative issues. She further said that Maryam Nawaz is competent enough to handle the administrative affairs of the province.
Emphasising that schools in Sindh often suffer from neglect, Bokhari stated that there are reports of animals being kept on school premises and widespread exam cheating, including the sale of entire examination centers. She criticized the education system in Sindh, where the PPP has been in power for the past 16 years, stating that it resembles a 19th-century model.
She stated that seven districts in Punjab boast the highest literacy rates, while many areas in Sindh till today lack proper schools. Bokhari mentioned frequent media reports about ghost employees and nonexistent students in Sindh’s education department, asserting that outside of Karachi and Hyderabad, the literacy rate in Sindh is virtually “zero.”
She concluded by stating that due to improved education standards in Punjab, students from government schools have been achieving top positions in board examinations. Bokhari also referenced recent controversies surrounding the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) in Sindh that garnered national attention.
