Supreme Court seeks reply from cantonment boards

The Supreme Court issued notices to cantonment boards all over the country to submit replies mentioning reason to order shifting educational institutions from cantonments in haste and what the urgency is. The bench suspended the verdict of a two-judge bench of the apex court, dated 24-10-2017, which said the exercise of removing educational and commercial buildings from the concerned areas be made gradually.
"Till the next order to the contrary, the order of this court dated 24.10.2017 is held in abeyance, meaning thereby that no school shall be vacated/transferred from the cantonment areas till such order is passed by this court," said the order. A three-member bench, headed by the Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was hearing the suo motu notice which he had taken on the note of Human Rights Cell of the august court.
According to the note, the schools and colleges in the cantonment areas across Pakistan are being directed to shift from cantonment areas within 15 days. The Chief Justice noted that though in the judgment the direction was given for the gradual removal of education institutions from cantonments but according to the HR Cell's note, it seems that the said order has not been complied with in letter and spirit and thus educational careers of a substantial number of students would be at stake if immediate action of removal of the said school is allowed.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Private Schools and Colleges Association, Rawalpindi on April 25 blocked Murree Road in protest against Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) and Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) for final eviction notices. The protesters blamed the RCB and the CCB for harassing private schools and allowing other commercial activities to be run in the residential areas at the same time.
The protesters appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to save education in the country. They also warned authorities concerned to revoke the decision; otherwise, they will also stage a 'sit-in' along with their families at D-Chowk. A heavy contingent of police was present on the occasion to avoid any law and order situation.
According to JAC, there are around 1,200 schools in cantonment board limits where more than 500,000 students are studying. "Over 60,000 teaching and non-teaching staff is working in these private institutions. But, RCB and CCB issued notices to all educational institutions to shut down within 15 days or face the music," he said.
The protesters said that the Supreme Court in its verdict had ordered the concerned civic bodies for transferring school buildings from residential areas of cantonment instead of closing them on permanent basis. The apex court had also directed the RCB and CCB to establish cantonment schools. They alleged although the civic bodies have followed one point of the orders of the apex court which is to establish cantonment schools, yet they have made violation of another direction by closing five private schools and converting two of them into cantonment schools.
While converting five closed private educational institutions into cantonment schools, the civic bodies have also increased their fees. This move is total violation by the civic bodies, the committee members claimed.