LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday issued notices on an application seeking records of past three years from the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) in a petition against renting out the Lawrence Road examination centres for non-educational purposes.

Justice Anwaar Hussain heard a civil miscellaneous application filed by Kashif Shahzad, the president of the Punjab Teachers Union, and others.

Advocate Mian Dawood, on behalf of the applicants, argued that the Punjab government had taken a stance that it was renting out the examination centres building due to financial losses. He said the government also took a plea of traffic congestion around Lawrence Road to rent out the centres.

However, a law officer of the government contested this point.

At this, the judge observed that the government’s entire case in this matter revolved around the issue of traffic congestion in the vicinity due to the examination centres.

The applicants’ counsel also asked the court to summon the records of the board of governors and budget meetings of the BISE. He said records from the past three years were essential for a proper decision in the case because the documents submitted by the Punjab government in the court were vague.

He said records of written complaints from students about traffic issues at examination centres should also be summoned.

The judge issued notices to the respondents on the application and observed that a day-to- day hearing would be conducted in the matter from Oct 10.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2023