PIL expresses concern about nationalisation of Edwardes College

Islamabad:Pakistan Interfaith League (PIL) Chairman Sajid Ishaq expressed serious concerns of the recent decision taken by the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to nationalise the historic Edwardes College of Peshawar.

The PIL called a special meeting of the members of all the minority communities in Islamabad, which took up the matter and condemned the KP government decision besides discussing a number of other issues concerning minority communities in Pakistan.

The historic Edwardes College was established by the Church Missionary Society as a ‘Mission College’ back in the year 1900 as an outgrowth of ‘Edwardes High School, which was founded in 1855. Later, the Church Mission College adopted the name of Sir Herbert Edwardes, a British colonial administrator and commander of British colonial era.

The PIL chairman said that this is the second time that the missionary educational institution is being nationalised by the government.

“The college was first nationalised by the government back in 1973 along with many other institutions all over the country. However, it was returned to the original custodians, the Church of Pakistan Peshawar Diocese in the year 2002, which is running it through a Board of Governors headed by Bishop of Peshawar, Humphrey Sarfraz Peters,” Sajid Ishaq said.

He pointed out that the nationalisation of the missionary educational institutions proved to be a wrong decision as the standard of education, administration and infrastructure showed a sharp decline.

“Since Edwardes College was handed back to the Church of Pakistan, Peshawar Diocese every effort was made to restore its past glory and it was put back on track under the guidance of ‘Board of Governors’ headed by Bishop Humphrey Sarfraz Peters,” the PIL chairman said.