(MENAFN - Tribal News Network) Anees Takar

PESHAWAR: The only school for the children of Sikh community in Peshawar, which has changed three buildings, has again received a notice to vacate its building.

The privately-owned Rising Hope School was established in 2013 and about 250 children are enrolled in it. Eighty percent students of the school are Sikhs, while the remaining students are from other religious minorities. Few Muslim students are also enrolled in the school.

The school director Gorpal Singh said while talking to TNN that the school building was changed three times during the last two and a half years as the owners of that buildings refused to extend the contract after its expiry. He said the school administration has now received a notice for vacating the existing building of the school as well.

Before independence of Pakistan, there were four schools in Peshawar for the children of Sikh community known as Khalisa schools. However, most people from Sikh community shifted to India or other countries after the creation of Pakistan after which these schools were closed. The existing Cant No. 1 School and Salwan School near Sonehri Masjid also used to be Khalisa schools before Independence.

Gorpal Singh said the Sikh community also suffered due to law and order issues and he has started this school for bright future of children of his community. He said he is not seeking any financial assistance from the government, but a school building to save the future of students as frequent change of the buildings is negatively impacting their studies. He said the federal Auqaf Department and the district government have properties near the school building and it will not be difficult for them to give a building for this purpose.

Many Sikh families displaced from different tribal agencies due to militancy and military operations are now living in Peshawar. They say they need a school for their children for their better education and training to make them useful citizens of the country in future.

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