Decision to suspend schools director not yet implemented

Sindh Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqir’s decision to suspend Karachi Director of Schools Yar Muhammad Baladi is yet be implemented.

Baqar had visited government schools in Karachi last week, and during the visit, he was angry at the lack of furniture in classrooms and no computers in the computer lab. He had said the Sindh government had allocated 25 per cent of its budget for education, but there was no furniture or computers and it was not known where the budget had been spent. He had also found 40 per cent of children absent.

On this occasion, the CM had suspended Karachi Director of Schools Yar Muhammad Baladi and other officers, and spokesperson for the chief minister Rashid Chana had also issued a formal press release of the suspension.

However, the suspension decision is yet to be implemented and seems a mere statement. Despite the announcement of suspension, Director Schools Baladi continues to go to office and work. The interesting thing is that a few weeks ago Sindh Director General Colleges Prof Dr Shadab Hussain was suspended by the caretaker CM during his visit to a college in Karachi. Prof Shadab Hussain’s suspension decision was immediately implemented, however.

Baladi was the only officer who was transferred from one place to another as DO, but he did not join. Similarly, he was appointed Karachi Director Schools when Farnaz Riaz, the female director of schools, was two months away from her retirement. The female director had also complained of harassment by Baladi in her office, but then secretary school educational Ghulam Akbar Laghari didn’t do anything to address the complaint.

Secretary School Education Dr Shereen Mustafa Narejo did not respond to the suspension of Baladi. However, caretaker CM’s spokesperson Rashid Chana said, “I think the suspension decision will be reversed later.”