NCHD, schools project case: Supreme Court orders payment of salaries to 35,000 teachers

While hearing a plea against the closure of Basic Education Community Schools and the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), the Supreme Court directed the federal government to pay salaries of 35,000 teachers along with other staffers and reserved the judgement.
A three-member bench of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez was hearing identical petitions, filed by Liaqat Hussain and others, against the closure of a project, namely the Establishment and Operation of Basic Education Community Schools.
Earlier, the federal secretary finance was directed to submit a detailed report pertaining to spending Rs 66 billion, collected under the 'Iqra Surcharge' from 1985-94. During the course of hearing, the bench expressed its displeasure over non-compliance by the finance secretary and directed the Attorney General for Pakistan to submit the report immediately.
AGP Maulvi Anwarul Haq pleaded that the basic schools project was not dissolved whereas after passage of 18th Amendment both the projects were transferred to provinces, so their financing liability was also the exchequer of provinces. He added that there were a lot of complaints that a large number of ghost schools were established in the basic school project.
The CJP said while addressing the AGP that was there an institution where mishandling was not found, adding that it is responsibility of the policy makers to take corrective measures instead of demolishing the institutions. The CJP categorically noted that revenue record holders (Patwari) as well as police officials in the police stations have retained services of private persons called Munshis (clerks) but courts are informed that every thing is smooth in Revenue and Police departments. The Chief Justice observed that seriousness of the officials was in question and they avoid appearing before the courts. After the proceedings, the court reserved its judgement and adjourned the case.