KARACHI: Expressing its extreme displeasure over the absence of the director of the Federal Investigation Agency, Sindh, the Sindh High Court on Thursday summoned the officer with relevant record regarding the whereabouts of around 19 missing children on Jan 17.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, meanwhile also directed the police and the FIA to jointly take steps for the recovery of the missing children.

While hearing a petition seeking the recovery of the missing children, the bench members expressed their extreme displeasure with the FIA for its officials’ absence despite issuance of a directive for their appearance before the court with relevant record.

Seeks details of school fee structure by Jan 14

In the last hearing, the court had ordered the director of the FIA, Sindh, to appear before it after a question was raised about the possibility of use of these children in human trafficking.

Justice Phulpoto asked what steps the police and FIA had taken for the recovery of the missing children.

CIA DIG Amin Yusufzai, who is heading a committee, informed the court that efforts were being made to ensure the recovery of the missing children.

The bench told the police officer to ensure his presence on every date of hearing of the case until the children were recovered. It further directed him to use modern devices for the purpose and show progress at the next hearing.

Justice Karim Khan Agha, the other member of the bench, asked the police officers how they could relax while the minor children remained missing.

DIG Yusufzai said that meetings were regularly being held in the office of the Sindh IG on the issue of recovery of the missing children.

Justice Phulpoto remarked that the court had nothing to do with the holding of meetings and directed the police officers to trace the remaining 19 missing children and submit a compliance report to the court on Jan 17.

Details of school fee structure sought

The SHC on Thursday directed the private school managements to submit a detailed approved fee structure by Jan 14.

A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, also restrained the managements from taking any adverse action, including disallowing those students who had paid five per cent increased fee, from appearing in examinations.

The direction came on a contempt of court application filed by parents against the non-implementation of the court order that declared enhancement of tuition fees by the private educational institutions over and above five per cent against the last fee schedule as illegal.

During Thursday’s proceedings, some parents complained that while they had paid the tuition fee with a five per cent increase, the managements of some private schools were still sending them messages seeking an enhanced fee.

The counsel appearing for the private schools submitted that it was not possible for the managements to continue their business with a mere five per cent increase in the tuition fees, adding that they were exposed to financial losses.

The counsel further said that in these circumstances their clients would be forced to shut their businesses.

However, the bench members observed that apparently the respondents should shut their businesses instead of violating the laws.

The counsel representing the Beaconhouse School System and The City School submitted record of the fee structure approved by the government. But the parents contended that there were contradictions in the record submitted by the two schools, as apparently they were not giving discount in the tuition fee to any student.

The bench members restrained the private schools from claiming an excess fee with the direction to allow those students who had already paid a five per cent increased tuition fee and allow them to appear in the exams.

It further directed the private schools to submit a complete record of the approved fee structure, and set the next hearing of the case for Jan 14.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2018