SC suspends order to shift educational institutes outside cantts

Asks cantonment authorities why action is taken in such haste

ISLAMABAD: Temporarily suspending its earlier ruling, the top court has stopped all Pakistan Cantonment Boards authorities from taking actions for shifting of all educational and commercial institutions from their respective boundaries.

The Supreme Court’s three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar passed the order on Thursday on a note placed by the SC Human Rights Cell.

The note said all the schools and commercial buildings in the cantonment areas across Pakistan have been directed to move outside these areas within 15 days in view of October 24, 2017 order by a two-judge SC bench, comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Dost Muhammad Khan.

The bench on Thursday noted the two-judge bench had directed that the educational and commercial buildings from the concerned areas should be moved gradually.

However, from the note put up before the court, it seems that the said order has not been complied with in letter and spirit and thus, the educational career of a substantial number of students would be at stake if immediate action of removal of the said school is allowed, it added.

“In the light of the above, we issue notice to all the Cantonment Boards in Pakistan to submit their replies about the question as to why action has been taken in such haste and what was the urgency therein.

“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.

TLP funding

Meanwhile, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) has written letters to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief and Ministry of Defence secretary for filing comprehensive reports on compliance of the SC’s April 25 order.

On Wednesday, a two-member special bench, comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Qazi Faez Isa, directed the top agency to give details regarding sources of funding of newly formed religious party the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) as well as income tax record of its leadership.

The bench, hearing a suo motu case regarding last year’s sit-in in Islamabad, passed the order in connection with its earlier queries. Sources in the AGP office told The Express Tribune that letters have been written by Deputy Attorney General Sohail Mahmood.