A special committee constituted on the directions of the Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif with Provincial Schools Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan in the chair to deal with the issue of the presence of hate material in unapproved textbooks in the Punjab held its maiden session at the Committee Room of Children's Library Complex, here Thursday. Different representatives including Secretary Schools Dr Allah Bakhsh Malik, Special Secretary Rana Hassan Akhtar, MD Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) Abdul Qayyum as well as officials of Higher Education, Police, Prosecution, Law and Information & Culture Departments were also present on the occasion.
The meeting held a detailed review of the issue of the presence of hate material in unapproved textbooks and suggested study books of school and higher education levels.
At the outset, the Schools Education Minister Rana Mashhood directed that non-textbooks will not be allowed for sale in the market without prior NOC of the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board to ensure that no such material is included in the books. He directed to constitute a special committee headed by Secretary Schools Dr Allah Bakhsh Malik to review different books of schools and higher education levels. He said that steps be taken for prompt police action against the persons responsible for the publication of such material. Similarly, the meeting also directed the Punjab Higher Education Commission to check the presence of any hate material in suggestive study books under its scope. The representative of the Higher Education Department told the meeting that subject-wise committees will be constituted to identify any presence of hate material in higher education sector. These committees will study given books carefully and will report to the higher authorities in this regard role proactively.