Parents demand formation of JIT to probe Usman’s death in school’s pool

The parents of Usman Ahmed Durrani, a student of Habib Public School who died in mysterious circumstances during a swimming class at his school’s swimming pool last week, have expressed dissatisfaction over the pace of the investigation being conducted by the Sindh police.

They have demanded from the authorities to form a joint investigation team (JIT) to thoroughly probe the 6th grader’s death.

“Despite the passage of a week, the police have failed to secure the CCTV footage of the incident. Not even the statements of the school administration and the principal have been recorded by the police,” said Zeeshan Durrani, father of the student, while addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday.

He said he and his family members had received death threats. “My family has no dispute with anyone earlier. We have lost our son and also received threats. Such behaviour is unacceptable in any society. We need security. The government should provide us security,” he said.

Members of Provincial Assembly Khurrum Sher Zaman, Bilal Ahmed Ghaffar and lawyer Akhar Hussain Jabbar also attended the press conference.

Durrani added that despite the clear instructions of the chief minister, the investigation team of police was using delaying tactics in the procedure of interrogation. He said the inquiry report of the committee formed by the CM found negligence on the part of the school administration, which resulted in this tragic incident.

“We wanted our kid would secure a bright future. But we lost him. The school has sent our kid under the soil instead of making him able to be a star student,” said Durrani, adding: “The irony is we can do nothing against the most influential owners of the school. We are helpless and have no access to the high-ups.”

He alleged the management of the school was not cooperating with the investigation team and was removing evidence of the incident that caused the death of the student. The school principal misstated the timetable of Usman’s swimming class in her report submitted to the secretary of the Sindh School Education Department.

He further stated that when the SP investigation asked the principal about the CCTV footage of the incident, she said that there was no CCTV camera installed at the swimming pool. However, when Zeeshan visited the school with the officer after the incident, they found that CCTV cameras were installed. They had also taken photos of those CCTV cameras.

Durrani said that his son Usman was enrolled in swimming classes and he had attended around six classes, and yet he was left unattended in the 12 feet deep pool.

He appealed to the prime minister, the chief justice of Pakistan, the Sindh governor and the chief minister to take stern action and that the responsible persons should be brought to justice so that other students could be saved.

He also demanded of the IGP and the DIG to replace the investigation team with a proper and fair investigation team. He vowed that he would fight until he brought the culprits to jail. “I will fight for my son and for those who have lost their sons at schools.”

What the lawyer says

When the press conference ended, Akhtar Hussain Jabbar, lawyer of the affected family, alleged that due to the criminal negligence of the school administration, this tragic incident appeared. Therefore, he said, the management of the school was trying to remove evidence of the incident.

“However, I am dealing with the matter like it is my personal case. I will help Usman’s parents in getting justice.”

MPAs’ position

After the press conference, MPA Khurram Sher Zaman said that minors were dying at hospitals, schools and streets, but the Sindh government had no concern.

There is no one to take responsibility for such incidents despite the state assurance about the right to life, he said, adding that the Sindh government should strictly regulate private institutions and set a precedent by bringing the culprits to justice so that such incidents could be avoided.

MPA Bilal Ahmed Ghaffar said that the affected family belonged to his constituency. “I feel that everyone belongs to my constituency like a family member. I stand with Usman’s parents.”

Protest against school

Meanwhile, members of the All Sindh Parents Association, Fixit and relatives held a protest demonstration against the school administration in front of the KPC. They were holding placards demanding justice for Usman. They also chanted slogans against the school’s owners.

The protesters said that private schools had turned into a mafia. They were minting hefty amounts from parents in the name of so-called quality education. “The Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions Sind is almost a paralysed institution. This is why such incidents are frequently reported in the past few years. Most of those incidents were noted at picnic parties,” they said.

School’s stance

In a press statement issued on August 28, the Habib Public School had said: “We have visited the residence of Usman and offered our condolences to the grieved family. Special prayers and a Quran khawani were held at the school on August 28, 2019, where students, teachers, and support staff participated. It was a day of mourning at the school.”

The statement further stated, “We are conducting a thorough investigation into this tragedy. Habib Public School is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all its students and will take all steps necessary to make sure that no stone is left unturned. We have been and will continue to be a leading educational institution of Pakistan and will continue to serve our country.”

To know about the allegations that Usman’s father had levelled in the press conference, The News tried to contact the management of Habib Public School on their official number, but no one attended the phone.