Punjab Text Book Board seizes Grade 7 book for printing Malala’s picture

Punjab Text Book Board seizes Grade 7 book for printing Malala’s picture!

As being reported, the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) on Monday confiscated the social studies book for grade 7 published by the Oxford University Press (OUP) for printing Malala Yousufzai’s picture alongside 1965 war hero Maj Aziz Bhatti Shaheed in the list of important personalities.

Quoting a publisher, the report said the book was submitted to the PCTB for a review and to seek a NOC in 2019. The board, after reviewing its contents, did not approve it for publishing.

The Oxford University Press has published the book despite not being issued the NOC, the publisher said.

According to the news source, PCTB, police, and other agencies were conducting raids on shops across Lahore.

On Monday, a team of officials first conducted a raid on the OUP office in Mini Market, Gulberg, and confiscated the entire stock of the book.

The officials also handed over a letter to the press, stating that the book had not been issued a No-Objection Certificate (NOC).

As per the report, pictures of some prominent Pakistani personalities feature on page 33 of the said book.

The pictures included Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, national poet Allama Iqbal, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Liaqat Ali Khan, legendary philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan, Nishan-i-Haider recipient Maj Aziz Bhatti Shaheed and activist Malala Yousufzai.

Last year, the PCTB banned 100 textbooks deeming them “against” the two-nation theory, or “unethical and illegal”.

As being reported, some of the books had not printed even the correct date of birth of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and poet Allama Iqbal, while some others contained “blasphemous material” and incorrect maps of the country.

Some of these books were banned for mentioning 35 Districts but there are 36 districts of Punjab.

Furthermore, a booklet series, Infant Mathematics, was banned allegedly published without its approval.

The booklet was found to be in violation of Section 10 of the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board Act 2015.