Minister vows not to allow school vans to run with ‘CNG bombs’

KARACHI: Showing his firm resolve for removal of CNG cylinders from the school van, Sindh Minister for Education, Sardar Shah has said, lives of kids are more precious than the demands of transporters, ARY News reported on Friday.

“We will not allow school vans to run with the ‘CNG bombs’,” he said, while talking to journalists in Karachi.

The minister said the government will make sure the removal of CNG cylinders from the school van, in the light of honourable court verdict.

Replying to a query, he said new education policy will be announced in the province, before month of July.

Underlining the need to eliminate practice of cheating in the examinations, the minister said stern action will be taken against those officials, who will be found guilty.

Earlier in the day, a minor girl and her van driver sustained injuries when their school van caught fire in Karachi’s area of Korangi.

Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Korangi, Ali Raza, relayed that rest of the children remained unharmed in the unfortunate incident.

“School bags of several students were burnt inside the van,” he added. “Police responded to the scene immediately.”

It is pertinent to note that the crackdown on school vans with CNG cylinders began on Jan 7 after the directives of Karachi Traffic Police Chief Javed Ali Mehar who expressed concern about the safety of school children.