IHC takes up plea for educating child beggars

Petition seeks arrangements for out-of-school children

ISLAMABAD:

The apex court of the capital took up a petition seeking education for children pushed into the profession of beggary by their parents or other people, besides increasing educational budget.

Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday served notices to respondents of a petition seeking to increase the education budget and arrangements for out of school children and child beggars.

The court served notices to secretary parliamentary affairs, secretary ministry of education, ministry of finance, planning division and others to submit reply within two weeks.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah conducted hearing on a petition filed by Centre for Rule of Law Islamabad through its counsel Majid Bashir Advocate.

At the outset of hearing, the petitioner prayed the court issue directives for arrangements to provide education to child beggar in federal capital and provinces as well. It also prayed the court to direct the authority concern to increase education budget to 4% of the gross domestic product (GDP).

The petitioner pleaded that access of the common citizens should be ensure to the private educational institutions besides introducing one curriculum.

It also prayed the court that monitoring committees' should be set up to view the educational arrangements at union council level.

The court served notices to respondents and adjourned hearing of the case.

Pakistan Bar Council polls

IHC on Monday reserved its judgment on maintainability of a petition seeking stay order against the elections of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC).

Chief Justice Minallah conducted hearing on a petition filed by a lawyer against the PBC elections. At the outset of hearing, the petitioner adopted the stance that the PBC's elections were scheduled on December 31, adding that 75 members from provincial bar councils would become part of this.

The petitioner stated that she was also a member of bar council and her current term was not expired yet. The petitioner was of the view that PBC's elections on December 31, was also a violation of bar act. The chief justice remarked that it was also violation of bar act to bring such cases to courts.

The court could not interfere into the affairs of bar council, he said. The petitioner said that the degrees of 15 candidates were found as fake during verification and there was chance of other fake degree holders. After listening to the arguments, the court reserved decision on maintainability of the case.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Minallah heard the case of Dr Ata Muhammad seeking service promotion after his retirement. The court directed to send the matter to secretary establishment and disposed of the case.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2020.