The Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) has seized the social studies book for grade seven published by the Oxford University Press (OUP). The book had attracted severe criticism for publishing the picture of Nobel Laureate Malala Yousufzai alongside that of 1965 war hero Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed in the list of important personalities.
Page 33 of the book contained pictures of some important personalities including Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Iqbal, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Liaqat Ali Khan, Abdul Sattar Edhi, Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan, Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed, and Malala Yousufzai.
This triggered criticism and questions on the government’s efforts for a uniform syllabus as soon as the book reached the hands of parents.
An uproar on social media led the government to react quickly and seize all books. PCTB, Police, and other agencies have conducted several raids at the OUP office in Mini Market, Gulberg, and confiscated the entire stock of the book.
The officials also showed a letter to the press, stating that the book had not been issued a No-Objection Certificate (NOC).
Dawn.com reported quoting an inside source that the book was submitted with the PCTB for review, however, it was not approved for publishing.
“The Oxford University Press has published the book despite not being issued the NOC,” he said.
He said the PCTB officials, police, and other agencies had visited his shop, inquired about the book, and read out the orders about the confiscation of the book.
The Punjab Textbook Board has been quite active against the publication of illegal and authorized books.
Last year, the textbook board had banned 100 textbooks it deemed “against” the two-nation theory, or “unethical and illegal.”