My late father, an orphan, had the privilege to study at the prestigious Lawrence College Gora Gali, originally founded for the orphans of the Great War. The academic brilliance of the college owed much to the hard work of these orphans, who had no choice but to excel and rise above their circumstances, earning respect and securing an honorable place in society through sheer determination.
I was recently reminded of this tragic legacy by Irshad Ali, the son of our late driver, Abdul Wahid. Abdul Wahid was more than a driver—he was family, and even after his untimely death, his family continues to consider me as part of their own. Abdul Wahid, whom I always respectfully addressed as “Lala” the one who taught me driving at very young age unfortunately his young life was cut short when he was ambushed by dacoits who mistakenly believed he was transporting emeralds. His death left his family shattered, and his young son, Irshad, orphaned.
Thankfully, Khap Kor Foundation orphanage stepped in to raise Irshad, guiding him from his early years and turning him into a productive citizen. Today, Irshad holds a senior position at a pharmaceutical firm. However, the joy of seeing him succeed was overshadowed when Irshad shared a devastating story about other children who weren’t as fortunate.
In an act of blatant injustice, the entire brilliant batch of orphans at Khap Kor orphanage was declared failed en masse by the Swat Educational Board. This heartbreaking news reached me after attempts to contact the current Chairman of the Swat Board failed. The situation was brought to light by Muhammad Ali, the Director of the orphanage, who, in a tearful video message, spoke of the unimaginable grief of one orphan’s mother. Upon hearing that her only hope for a better future had failed his exams, the poor widow suffered a stroke and paralysis.
The cruelty of this situation is staggering. These are not just students—they are children who have already faced immense loss and hardship. They are orphans, raised with the promise of a better future, only to have that promise cruelly snatched away by bureaucratic incompetence and heartlessness. Yet, in the face of such tragedy, the officials at the Swat Educational Board were praised by the PTI Education Minister for producing “outstanding results.” How could this blatant miscarriage of justice go unnoticed?
In any just society, such a gross failure would prompt immediate action—an inquiry, the dismissal of the Examination Controller responsible, and a re-evaluation of the orphans’ exam papers. But instead, these children are left to bear the brunt of this professional dishonesty, their futures hanging in the balance. The orphans’ success or failure is not just a personal matter—it’s a reflection of the state’s responsibility toward its most vulnerable citizens.
It is time for the PTI government, which claims to stand for transparency and justice, to prove that these values extend beyond mere political rhetoric. If the PTI is sincere in its mission to fight election rigging and institutional corruption, it must first look within its own ranks. The government must ensure that justice is served to these deprived orphans from Swat. Their exam papers should be independently rechecked in Peshawar, under the supervision of both the Education Minister and the Secretary of Education. The official responsible for this scandal must be held accountable and removed from his position.
If we are to rebuild this nation, we must start by ensuring that the most vulnerable among us are not abandoned by the very institutions meant to protect them. Long live Pakistan, but may it one day be led by those who see, rather than by the blind leading the blind, to nowhere.🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰