ASIA/PAKISTAN - The state has given the St. Francis school back to the Church

Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - The Archdiocese of Lahore obtained the restitution of the St. Francis school, among the properties nationalized in the past by the Pakistani government. As reported to Agenzia Fides by local sources, the dispute was an open wound and in recent months demonstrations followed asking for its return.
The property which is being disputed is a plot where the St. Francis school is situated, in the area of Anarkali, Lahore. In the story, note sources of Fides, there are interests regarding politicians and real estate speculation, which often focused on the properties of Christians, such as churches, schools and hospitals in Punjab. Last June Archbishop Shaw had addressed the issue with the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif, obtaining the promise of a positive outcome of the story.
Expressing satisfaction with the successful outcome, Fr. Andrew Nisari, Vicar General of Lahore, recalled "the valuable role carried out by Christians in the field of education in Pakistan" and that "the majority of the Pakistani political leadership received education in Catholic schools".
The ownership of the St. Francis High School, founded in 1842, was taken by the Pakistani government in 1972 as part of the policy of the then President Ali Bhutto who, for economic reasons, decided to nationalize schools, universities and hospitals held by Christians in the country. In 2004, President Pervez Musharraf initiated the return of such properties and 16 schools returned back under the control of the Archdiocese of Lahore except the St. Francis school. After ten years, the successful conclusion of the story. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 12/11/2014)