RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) on Friday sealed 12 schools in a crackdown on private educational institutions and commercial properties in residential areas.

RCB spokesman Qaiser Mehmood told Dawn that in compliance with the order of the Supreme Court, action had been initiated against illegal private schools, colleges, shops and other commercial properties in residential areas.

He said 12 schools and 27 shops were sealed in different areas of the cantonment, adding that a notice was issued before launching the campaign, which was advertised through newspaper advertisements, banners, posters and pamphlets.

12 educational institutions, 27 shops closed; school owners vow to continue protests

On the other hand, All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association Punjab chapter President Ilyas Kiani said sealing private educational institutions before the deadline of Dec 31 was tantamount to instigating the owners, teachers and parents to take to the streets. The cantonment authorities had earlier issued notices to the owners and directed them to shift the schools and colleges from residential areas by Dec 31.

He said the association had decided to continue its protests against the decision of the cantonment authorities to close private educational institutions in residential areas. The decision will affect four million students and 400,000 teachers across the country, he added.

On the call of the Joint Action Committee, teachers and children staged a protest demonstration in front of their institutions against the eviction of private educational institutions from cantonment residential areas on Friday.

“Peaceful protests will be recorded from 10am to 10:30am daily and protests will continue,” Ibrar Ahmed Khan, a member of the Joint Action Committee, told Dawn.

Mr Khan said the cantonment administration had started sealing hundreds of educational institutions, adding that administrations of all private institutions would show unity and continue their struggle for their rights.

Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee met under the chairmanship of Chaudhry Nasir Mahmood. The meeting was attended by Malik Azhar Mahmood, Ibrar Ahmad Khan, Chaudhry Mohammad Tayyab, Mohammad Usman, Malik Naseem Ahmed, Mohammad Asif, Raja Naseer Ahmad Janjua, Hafiz Mohammad Basharat, Shahbaz Qamar, Chaudhry Amjad Zeb, Nadeem Shiraz and Jameel Ahmed.

The participants said the cantonment administration was misinterpreting the decision of the Supreme Court.

They demanded that the sealed educational institutions be de-sealed immediately otherwise they would be forced to take to the streets.

They also urged the chief justice of Pakistan, the chief of the army staff and the prime minister to take immediate notice of the issue.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2021