Gordon College privatisation: students block Murree Road

RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi faced one of its worst traffic jams on Thursday as Government Gordon College students vehemently protested the proposed handover of their institution to an American church.

The students, chanting ‘Na manzoor, Na manzoor’ (not acceptable), marched from the college to the press club at Liaquat Bagh, disrupting traffic along Murree Road.

Expressing strong disapproval, the students voiced their opposition to placing the college under the control of an American church. They warned the government of escalating protests and potentially paralyzing the entire city if the controversial plan proceeded.

Tensions over the proposed handover surfaced last year when the Government of Punjab announced its intention to transfer the historic college and its properties to a Christian mission.

Despite protests and appeals filed by students and teachers, the top court dismissed their case, paving the way for the handover to the original owner.

However, considering the legal aspects, Gordon College cannot be abolished. Students and teachers of the college have threatened to launch another protest against any attempt to privatise the college.

Originally a missionary institution until 1972, Gordon College came under the Punjab government’s administration during the nationalization of various institutions that year.

The longstanding dispute over the ownership of the college’s land, pending since 1986, took a contentious turn.

The management of Preston Church, situated adjacent to the college, claims ownership of the school’s land and also oversees FC College in Lahore.

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