The run-down structure of the Government Girls Vocational Institute in Lodhran, one of Punjab’s most educationally challenged districts, was temporarily evacuated. This move came as a proposal to erect a gymnasium at the site emerged, although many individuals advocated for constructing a new institute building there.

In the vicinity of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) office in Lodhran, there once stood an unoccupied plot measuring seven kanal and seven marla. This area was allocated to the Government Girls Vocational Institute in 2010. Subsequently, this institution, dedicated to providing technical training to female students, was relocated there from a rented space.

As the building deteriorated over time, the institute’s management wrote to the Secretary of Toyota, requesting funds to construct a new building at the same location. The Punjab government allocated Rs. 11 crore for this purpose.

Meanwhile, the Government Girls Vocational Training Institute was moved back to a rented facility to facilitate the construction of the new building.

While preparations for the new construction were underway, the district administration began considering constructing a gymnasium on the same premises. Upon learning of this proposal, civil society, businesspeople, journalists, and political workers raised their voices in protest.

These concerned individuals expressed that a gymnasium was optional for the citizens, and only specific individuals would visit it in limited numbers. Conversely, the city’s Government Girls Vocational Training Institute holds immense importance for economically disadvantaged and middle-class girls.

District Manager Toyota Khursheed Chauhan reveals that the institution pays a monthly rent of Rs 45,000 for a private building, accommodating around 200 female students for training.

Chauhan attempted to persuade Deputy Commissioner Lodhran against constructing a gymnasium in the allocated institute area. When this proposal was not accepted, he brought the matter to the attention of the Secretary of the Punjab Toyota.

The Deputy Commissioner subsequently suggested alternative sites for constructing the training institute building, including Chak No. 10, situated seven kilometres from the city, and an eight-kanal area in front of the Departmental Special Education office. The former option would involve a substantial cost to the government.

The issue goes beyond the Government Girls Vocational Training Institute’s area; efforts are underway to incorporate the municipal library of Lodhran into the gymkhana.

Mubasher Waseem Lodhi, a senior member of the library, states that a municipal library was established in the Fruit Market in 1990, thanks to the efforts of ADCG Dr Azam Saleem. This library boasts thousands of books. Approximately 15 years ago, due to the deterioration of its building, the library was relocated to a new building near the DC office and renamed the Allama Iqbal Library. In 2018, Deputy Commissioner Lodhran Saqib Ali Attil renovated the library with USAID’s support, acquiring new computers and furniture.

Lodhi mentions, “The library’s premises have been landscaped with lush lawns and flowering plants, transforming it into a women’s park. Women come for walks before nine in the morning, and the library opens at nine, closing at four in the evening. Women return in the evening after the library closes, essentially repurposing the premises and building for two separate functions.”

Former Deputy Director of Public Relations Rahim Talab states that the bureaucracy plans to construct a gymnasium on the Vocational Training Institute’s grounds and breach the library’s wall to integrate it into the gymnasium. This has led to the removal of the library’s plaque.

“If the gymnasium encompasses the library, it will restrict public entry and deprive women of a walking space.”

Asif Ali from Lodhran highlighted that the district ranks 35th in Punjab regarding educational backwardness and basic facility deprivation. Given this context, prioritising a gymkhana over education seems incomprehensible.

Dr Tahir Ahmed Chaudhry, Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami District Lodhran, suggested that the gymkhana is being constructed for the elite. He recommended relocating it out of Lodhran, with the elite bearing the travel costs. Moving the Vocational Institute’s underprivileged students away from the city would render their travel expenses unaffordable and jeopardise their safety.

According to a report, around 46 per cent of individuals above 15 in the Lodhran district are illiterate. Educational institutions are also scarce, with only one campus of Bahauddin Zakariya University present. Consequently, many youths must travel to Bahawalpur or Multan for education. In this context, educational institutions providing vocational skills for employment become paramount.