KARACHI: Students, alumni, teachers, and officials from the education department and members of civil society gathered in front of the remains of Sybil D`Abreo`s house in Soldier Bazaar to protest against its illegal demolition which was carried out over the weekend.

Young girls in uniforms shouted `rebuild our school`, while the faculty demanded that the house part of a heritage site be rebuilt and made functional as part of the Jufelhurst School.

Zaheer Alam Kidwai, an alumnus, said that Jufelhurst was the first school he attended in Pakistan after Partition. `I joined in September 1947 when I was seven years old. This was also Nuzhat`s [his wifej first school when she moved here,` he said.

`It was a really a lovely school. Ms D`Abreo who was head of the school then and her brother, who was also teaching at Karachi Grammar School and other places, was one of our teachers,` he said. He also fondly recalled many of his teachers and fellow students, including Quaid-i-Azam`s nephews.

Remembering his days at Jufelhurst School, Mr Kidwai said that there were three Jewish students in his class, one of whom moved to Israel and became Miss Israel.

Architect Arif Belgaumi said someone came and just knocked down a building and `if somebody was to build on this land they would have to change the zoning of this. How is this even a legal building site? This is a school property which is an amenity plot; you can`t build apartments on this.

According to Mr Belgaumi, the law says that it is not just the building but the environs which constitute a heritage site, so that is why when DJ Science College tried to put a pedestrian bridge across the road,people protested.

`They should rebuild it. The Sindh government should come up with the funds to rebuild this. We have entrusted the government of Sindh with our heritage. Somebody messed up and allowed this to be demolished. They should come up with the funds to rebuild it,` he added.

In order to do so, he explained, they would have to preserve the rubble, sort it and keep the pieces that can be reused.

Responding to a question, the architect said that legally speaking once a building has been declared a heritage site it cannot be demolished or sold. `You have been entrusted with a portion or piece of our heritage and you can`t demolish it. But what you can do is go to the government and say this is an asset of mine and you should compensate me for it,` he said.

Fiza Jumani graduated from Jufelhurst in 1966 and said that she joined in kindergarten. `It was a wonderful school. It was an institution. When we found out that it had become a national heritage site we were so proud. Then you hear that it is gone. I am here to protest for the school today,` she said.

She remembers Ms D`Abreo as an elegant woman and wonderful person. `She used to come and distribute our report cards and always had a little dog with her,` added Ms Jumani.

Arif Ali, District East coordinator from the education department, said that the education minister and secretary, who visited the school, have promised to rebuild it. `The funds are there but are stuck due to some technical issues. This will be sorted soon. We aim to make this a model school,` he added.