Excavation Work for Major Housing Scheme Puts Islamabad Girls’ School in Danger
A government-run girls’ school in Islamabad is facing a serious safety threat after extensive excavation work for a nearby housing scheme left the building exposed on three sides.
The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has raised concerns over the condition of Islamabad Model School for Girls (IMSG) in Kurri, warning that the removal of large amounts of soil around the premises has weakened the building’s foundation and put hundreds of students and staff at risk.
In a letter sent to the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) on October 26, the FDE said ongoing excavation had left the school dangerously close to a steep vertical drop.
According to the letter, an on-site inspection confirmed that excavation work linked to the Margalla Orchard Scheme, an FGEHA housing project being developed in partnership with the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), had removed soil from three sides of the school.
The FDE described the excavation as unscientific and unchecked, warning that the loss of surrounding ground support had placed the building in a critical condition.
“With the foundation weakened and perimeter support stripped away, the facility poses an imminent physical threat to the lives of hundreds of young female students, faculty and support staff,” the letter stated.
The directorate urged the FGEHA to immediately halt excavation near the school and carry out structural rehabilitation, including the construction of protective retaining walls and other reinforcement measures.
However, FGEHA spokesperson Faiz Ahmed Sial denied the authority’s involvement, saying a site inspection conducted after receiving the complaint confirmed that the school was outside the boundaries of its housing scheme.
“This issue does not pertain to FGEHA. It is outside our boundaries,” he said.
Another FGEHA official suggested that the FDE may have mistakenly approached the authority, as the school could fall within the adjacent Margalla Enclave project being developed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in partnership with DHA.
“Maybe the school area falls within the CDA scheme, which is adjacent to our scheme, but it certainly does not belong to us and has nothing to do with our Margalla Orchard Scheme,” the official said.
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