CPDI campaigns for Govt Degree Colleges in Dhoke Syedan

Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI) started advocacy campaign for completion of Government Degree College for Boys and Girls in Dhoke Syedan Rawalpindi. These colleges were started by former Chief Minister Pervez Elahi in 2007 and were then taken by Opposition leader Ch. Nisar Ali Khan and Member National Assembly Malik Abrar Ahmad.

District Coordinator Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, CPDI, Kausar Abbas, Friday said CPDI has set up a constituency relations group named ‘Citizen’s Voice of NA-54’ in collaboration with Free and Fair Elections Network (FAFEN) in NA-54 and as well as in NA-51, NA-55 and NA-56. The purpose of these groups is to identify the issues of the constituency and to highlight them in front of the elected representatives and concerned officials. These groups are acting as a bridge between elected representatives, government officials, and public.

Abbas said it came to our notice by Constituency Relations Group of NA-54 that the former Chief Minister Pervez Elahi in Dhoke Syedan Chowk inaugurated two colleges. These are the only Boys and Girls College in Rawalpindi Cantt area. The construction of these colleges is almost 75% complete by the building departments however, 25 % is pending since 2008. The scheme does not fall in the Annual Development Program since 2009 and now these colleges have become ghost colleges and sweet homes for drug-addicted people. He said according to the information taken by the responsible officials of building department public money of Rs. 42.104 million has been spent on these colleges but it has been unfunded since 2009 and the government of Punjab is unable to complete this project since 2008.

The Constituency Relations Group (CRG) of CPDI started an advocacy campaign for completion of these colleges, as it is the basic need for the people living in the locality. Under this campaign CRG has displayed banners to highlight the issue of the college and wrote letters to the Chief Minister, Secretary Higher Education, Building Department, Commissioner, Finance Department and District Coordination Officer but they did not respond the letters. The CRG started meetings local community to make them allies and they have planned peaceful walks, media forums, raising voices on the meetings with the government officials. He said they want to include this college in the Annual Development Program of 2012-2013. - INFN