Karachi's Aisha Bawany College remains sealed despite SHC, CM orders to reopen it

Scores of teachers and students gather outside the college demanding its reopening

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The Aisha Bawany Government College in Karachi, which was sealed on a civil judge's verdict, continues to remain closed even though the high court and CM ordered its immediate reopening.

Scores of teachers and students gathered outside the college on Monday to protest against its closure.

On Saturday morning, the teachers and students had conducted and participated in classes on the street outside the college’s building to protest against the move.

Later in the day, the Sindh High Court had suspended the civil judge’s order till September 23.

Justice Fahim Ahmed Siddiqui also issued notices to the trustees of the college and others to submit their replies by the next date of the hearing. He passed a restraining order on a rent application filed by the Sindh government, challenging the subordinate court’s order.



On Friday, District South’s Civil Judge-X had directed the SHO of the Saddar police station to seal the college’s premises as the as the provincial education department and local government department had failed to pay Rs50,000 per month as rent, as ordered on May 19, 2011.

The matter follows that the dispute between the Aisha Bawany Trust and education department over arose over non-payment of the rent amount, which had allegedly accumulated to Rs8,400,000.

Complying with the court’s directives, the police had sealed the college.

Provincial law officers Ziauddin Junejo and Ale Maqbool Rizvi informed the SHC bench that the government had filed an application with the Supreme Court in Islamabad against the order passed by the civil court concerned in the rent matter.

Therefore, the court was pleaded to stay execution proceedings before the civil court, which is the executing court, till the decision on the government’s plea in the apex court.

After hearing initial arguments from the law officers, Justice Siddiqui issued notices to the trustees of Aisha Bawany College and other respondents for September 23. “Meanwhile, the executing court is directed not to proceed with Execution No 04/2010 till the next date of hearing,” the court further ordered.

On Monday, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah too ordered that the college be reopened immediately but the despite the passage of hours of his directives, the building remains sealed.

This has forced teachers and students to protest outside the college.