PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Friday directed the Punjab education department to ensure the immediate halt to the distribution of a Pakistan Studies book, taught in the province’s some private colleges, over the alleged use of derogatory remarks for Pakhtuns.

Justice Ikramullah Khan and Justice Mohammad Ayub Khan directed the federal and Punjab education secretaries to file comments in a petition filed by lawyers Azhar Yousaf, Ibrar Hussain and others seeking the court’s orders for the removal of ‘abusive and incorrect’ words related to Pakhtuns in the book titled Pakistan Studies for Degree Classes.

The petitioners also requested the bench to order registration of a case against the author and publisher of the said book under the Anti-Terrorism Act as they had tried to create hatred among different communities.

The bench observed that the petitioners had not mentioned that request in their prayers. The bench allowed the petitioners to file an amended writ petition for including the said prayer in it.

Asks federal, Punjab govts to respond to petition against derogatory notes for Pakhtuns in book

The bench observed that in the meantime the Punjab government should ensure that the said book should not be further distributed.

The respondents in the petition are the Federation of Pakistan through the minister of education; federal education secretary; the government of Punjab through its chief minister; Punjab education minister; Punjab education secretary; Punjab Group of Colleges through its directors in Rawalpindi and Lahore; and Azeem Academy Publishers and Booksellers, Lahore.

Azhar Yousaf and other counsels said the controversial book had been taught in the colleges of Punjab Group of Colleges and was published by Azeem Academy.

They said the controversial chapter was related to a battle between Syed Ahmad Shaheed and Sikhs in 1827.

The counsel said it was mentioned on page No 47 of the book that Pathans were illiterate (Jahil Pathan) as they were under the influence of the propaganda launched by Sikhs against the ideology of Syed Ahmad Shaheed, while on Page 48, which highlighted the causes for the failure of the Tehreek-i-Mujahideen of Syed Ahmad Shaheed, the Pakhtuns were declared traitors.

They said the terms in question were incorrect and amounted to the stereotyping of Pakhtuns and that they were unbearable for Pakhtuns, who were loyal to Pakistan.

The counsel said they had served notices on the respondents to rectify those incorrect terms, but to no avail.

They said the acts of the Punjab Group of Colleges and relevant book publisher were illegal and unconstitutional and that they could cause differences among various communities.

The counsel added that Pakhtuns had been living in this country with peace and harmony and had rendered sacrifices for it.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2018