SHC calls for suggestions on school security awareness campaign

Govt, rights campaigners to submit ways to spread awareness about preventative measures by Feb 15

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) sought on Thursday suggestions from the provincial government and rights campaigners on running a campaign to spread awareness on adopting preventative measures in the backdrop of prevalent security threats to private educational institutes in the province.

"There should be [durable] peace that no school needs to close its doors," remarked a two-judge bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, adding "but when the government departments fail to perform their obligations it puts the burden on the courts."

The bench members further remarked that the court could not pass an order directing terrorists not to carry out attacks on schools. Therefore, in the given circumstances, they observed that there was a need to launch a massive campaign to spread awareness among the public on adopting preventative measures.

So, the bench directed the provincial law officer and lawyer representing the petitioners to submit suggestions to launch an awareness campaign by February 15 when the matter will again be taken up.

The bench was hearing a petition seeking provision of adequate security at private educational institutes facing threats similar to the December 2014 attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar where more than 130 students were killed.



The petition was jointly filed by Advocate Javed Iqbal Burki, a human rights activist, along with the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research and Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, to charge the relevant authorities with contempt of court.

In its May 25, 2016 order, the SHC had ordered a survey to pinpoint which schools were vulnerable and the provision of adequate security arrangements by the provincial government. The court had further directed the relevant authorities to submit a compliance report within four weeks, which the provincial administration failed to submit after the lapse of the given period.

On August 27 last year the education secretary had filed a compliance report on behalf of the chief secretary but the report was termed a clear violation, subversion and blatant attempt to undermine the order by the complainant. The court had expressed its dissatisfaction over the report and ordered the education secretary and others to take practical steps for the security of Sindh's schools.