SC refers ITESC ownership case to Sindh High Court

The Supreme Court referred the case of ownership of Islamic Trust Education Schools and Colleges (ITESC) to the Sindh High Court and dismissed the contempt of court proceedings on the unconditional pardon of the Sindh government.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial heard petitions in the Supreme Court seeking review of ownership of Islamic Trust education schools and colleges in Sindh.

During the hearing, Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin said that the Supreme Court has ordered to hand over the trust colleges to the owners in 2019. Justice Muneeb Akhtar said that Supreme Court is the highest court of the country. "The Sindh government is bound to implement the order. Transfer ownership of Islamic Trust Schools to Sindh High Court. After which the Sindh High Court will decide on the transfer of property to the claimants of trust schools," Justice Akhtar remarked.

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The Chief Justice of Pakistan said that the court had ordered to ensure that students pursuing free education from trust schools were not affected by the case. At this the counsel of the trust said that the trust schools have been established since 1947. The Sindh government has nothing to do with trust schools.

The Sindh Advocate General said that Sindh government gives Rs310 million annually in the form of grant to trust schools. At this the Chief Justice said that the claimants of trust schools should go to the Sindh High Court and state whether they will pay Rs310 million annually or not.

The Supreme Court in 2019 had ordered the transfer of ownership of Islamic Trust schools and colleges to trust owners. The trust owners had filed a contempt of court petition against the Sindh government for non-compliance with the court order. The Sindh government has also filed a review appeal against the court order.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2022.