Fact-check: Punjab government confirms ban on O-Level history book

A notification circulating on social media suggests that the Punjab government has banned an O-level history book, sparking doubts among Pakistani online users.

The claim is true.

Claim

The purported notification, dated June 13, issued by Punjab’s school education department’s monitoring wing states that the Punjab curriculum and textbook board in Lahore has “imposed a ban and prohibits” the textbook titled “The History and Culture of Pakistan” for O-level authored by Nigel Kelly.

Fact

The provincial minister for school education and five other government officials have corroborated the issuance of the notification.

Punjab’s Minister for School Education Rana Sikandar Hayat told Geo Fact Check via messages that the notification was issued by the school education department on June 13.

Muhammad Akram Chaudhary, the chief executive officer of Bahawalpur’s district education authority, also confirmed the receipt of the notification banning the textbook.

The same was confirmed by Javed Awan, the chief officer of Gujranwala’s district education authority.

While Kashif Zia, the chief executive officer of Faisalabad’s district education authority, told Geo Fact Check that he received the notification on the education department’s official WhatsApp group.

Faiz Abbas, the chief executive officer of Multan’s district education authority, also confirmed the authenticity of the notification.

Additionally, Naveed Shahzad Mirza, the director Punjab curriculum and textbook board told Geo Fact Check over the phone that the ban was imposed last year in May by the Punjab’s school education department.

He reiterated that the June 13 notification serves as a reissuance to ensure compliance with the ban, sharing last year’s notification for reference.

However, none of the officials Geo Fact Check spoke to revealed why the textbook had been banned.

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