Resolution filed in PA against transfer of physically-challenged teacher

LAHORE: The Punjab government has come under severe criticism from an opposition legislator over the transfer of a physically challenged woman from Lahore to Burewala, Vehari district, which has been done in clear violation of rules.

Through a resolution submitted in Punjab Assembly secretariat on Wednesday, Azma Zahid Bokhari, a PML-N MPA, submitted that the government, which had been claiming to eradicate polio, was itself targeting polio-hit persons.

The opposition legislator, citing a recent incident, submitted that a teacher, Uzma Asif, who was hit by polio, had been transferred to Vehari. The MPA also submitted that the teacher was recruited on the disabled quota and while transferring her to district Vehari, the Special Education Department had violated its own rules.

Azma Zahid Bokhari demanded immediate reversal of the transfer and demanded her posting back in Lahore.

This is noteworthy that just a day ago United Nations Secretary General visited Lahore where he expressed the resolve to defeat polio and urged the global leadership to join hands to eradicate this disease from the world. However, this act by the Special Education Department has come as a huge embarrassment for the entire PTI government in Punjab and Centre which has been expressing solidarity with polio-hit persons and claiming to purge Pakistan from this disease.

The News tried to contact Secretary Special Education Syed Iqbal Hussein Bokhari but he wasn’t available for comment.

Uzma Asif transferred and posted at Government Special Education Centre, Burewala, district Vehari was serving at Government Deaf and Defective Hearing School for Girls, Chouburji, Lahore. Uzma Asif, a mother of two, was recruited on special persons quota was even forced by the department staff to relieve her duties at Lahore and join her new place of posting in Burewala, Vehari.

A notification from the office of the Chief Minister Punjab No. SO (A-III)183/2012 dated January 7, 2016 while declaring all disabled persons as Special Persons directs all the departments to extend full support to the persons with disabilities in Punjab.

In the case of Uzma Asif, a physically sound teacher was accommodated in Lahore whereas a physically challenged person (Uzma) was transferred to a district which is around four to five hours drive from Lahore.