SKARDU — The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) has formally requested permission from the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan to relocate its Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers and School Improvement Program (SIP) out of Skardu to other districts, citing the continued closure of its local office following unrest earlier this year.
The programs, run with UNICEF’s support, currently operate in more than 40 government primary schools across Skardu district.
According to the letter, AKRSP’s local office in Skardu was affected and temporarily shut down following the unrest that occurred on March 1, leaving the organization unable to provide the required technical support for these projects. To ensure the timely and uninterrupted delivery of resources, AKRSP has proposed transferring the programs to districts where its offices remain operational.
It is worth noting that following the reported martyrdom of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and others in a U.S. attack on Iran, members of the Shia community held demonstrations across Pakistan, including in Skardu. During the violent protests on March 1, AKRSP’s offices in Skardu and several vehicles were set on fire and completely destroyed. Protesters claimed they did not want projects supported by the United States or other Western countries.
Now that AKRSP has formally initiated the process of relocating these projects from Skardu to other districts, some quarters have labeled the move as anti-education and warned that it could trigger a public backlash.
Undoubtedly, the transfer of the ECD and SIP programs will affect hundreds of children in Skardu. ECD classes in numerous government primary schools are expected to close, potentially creating a new educational crisis in the region.
Education experts, however, say AKRSP had few alternatives given the security situation. They note the organization essentially faced two options: leave the UNICEF-funded projects inactive while citing the security situation in Skardu, or return the funding to UNICEF altogether — both of which they describe as a waste of resources meant for children’s education. Redirecting the programs to districts where AKRSP can continue functioning is seen by these experts as the more practical course.
Meanwhile, AKRSP has clarified that the arrangement is intended to be temporary. Once its operations in Skardu are restored, the organization says, the ECD and SIP programs will be transferred back to the district.