SHC wants report on security of educational institutions

Govt fails to submit report on Thursday despite previous order

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) sought on Thursday a report from the provincial chief secretary regarding security measures adopted at private educational institutes facing threats of attacks by militants.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Munib Akhtar, gave the direction to the chief secretary's focal person to submit the report on November 15.

The court was hearing a petition seeking security at private educational institutes facing threats of attacks similar to the attack on the Army Public School, Peshawar in December, 2014.

The petition was jointly filed by rights activist Advocate Javed Iqbal Burki, the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research and Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum.



In its order of May 25, 2016, the SHC had ordered a survey to pinpoint schools that were vulnerable to terrorist attacks so that the provincial government could provide adequate security arrangements. The court had further directed the relevant authorities to submit a compliance report within four weeks, which the provincial administration failed to submit in the stipulated time.

However, on August 27 last year, the education secretary filed a compliance report on behalf of the chief secretary but the court termed it a clear violation, subversion and blatant attempt to undermine its order. Dissatisfied with the report, the SHC ordered the education secretary and others to take practical steps for the security of schools in the province.

Educational institutions across the country are facing terror threats and implementing security arrangements after the Taliban attack at Bacha Khan University in Charsadda district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which was a chilling reminder of the attack on the Army Public School.

Taking up the matter on Thursday, the judges questioned what steps had been taken with regard to the implementation of the court's directives for the security of educational institutes. However, no such report was filed despite issuance of direction for the same on the last date of the hearing.



Fixing the next hearing for November 15, the judges directed the focal person to file a detailed report regarding implementation of the court's directives that day.