KARACHI: Extending its interim order that restrained private schools from raising their fee more than five per cent, the Sindh High Court on Friday directed private schools to restore the admission of students expelled from their respective institutions over non-payment of fee that was increased sharply.

The court also ordered the management of the private schools to accept students’ examination forms for the coming season.

Headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, the bench was hearing a set of petitions filed by parents of children studying at private schools against their managements for increasing fee more than five per cent in violation of rules and regulations.

The judges expressed displeasure when they were informed that some of the students were expelled from different private schools when their guardians refused to pay the exorbitant fee.

The victim students’ counsel told the judges that certain schools also did not accept the examination forms of the students.

Court extends its interim fee restraint till further orders

“How could students be expelled when the court already stayed the fee increment?” one of the bench members said.

The private schools’ counsel, however, denied the claims and said there must be some misunderstanding as no student was expelled from any school.

The bench directed the school managements to restore the expelled students to their original position against the payment of normal tuition fees as was being received before it was enhanced, further ordering them to accept students’ examination forms.

The court extended its interim order that restrained private schools from raising their fee more than five per cent till further orders and put off the hearing to Feb 15.

Earlier, the petitioners had submitted that the school management could not increase the fee more than five per cent in an academic year as per rules; however, some private schools had increased the fee more than 10 per cent.

They asked the court to direct the authorities concerned to restrain the school management from increasing fee and follow the rules and regulations.

Muttahida worker acquitted

An appellate bench of the high court headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto acquitted Aijaz, alias Tona, said to be a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) worker, in cases pertaining to possessing explosives substance and illicit weapon.

Aijaz Ahmed, arrested in March 2015 within the remit of the Nabi Bux police, was awarded 21 years collective imprisonment by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC).

The convict though his counsel challenged the punishment awarded by the trial court and submitted that the prosecution had failed to submit any concrete evidence against him.

The defence counsel argued that the ATC did not follow due procedure while convicting Aijaz. The court was requested to set aside the judgment of the trial court and order the release of the convict.

After hearing the arguments from both sides, the SHC bench set aside the punishment and ruled that the convict should be released if not arrested in any other case.

Conviction upheld

The same bench upheld one-year imprisonment awarded to a drug peddler by the Anti-Narcotics Court.

The trial court had sentenced Mohammed Ishaq to suffer one year rigorous imprisonment in jail and fined him.

He was arrested from the Karachi airport red-handed while smuggling the drugs.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2018