LAHORE
The Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought a detailed report from the federal and provincial government within three weeks on a constitutional petition for uniform education policy providing for free education to children less than 16 years of age.
Judicial Activism Panel (JAP) Chairman Muhammad Azhar Siddique had filed the petition submitting that after 18th constitutional amendment it had become obligatory for the government to provide free education to children under a uniform syllabus.
He pleaded that according to the article 25-A of the constitution, which had been newly inserted through the 18th constitutional amendment, the state was under legal obligation to provide free compulsory education in public and private schools to children of 5 to 16 years of age Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhary issued notices to the federal and provincial government and said that the courts will defend the basic rights of the people of Pakistan, remaining in confines of the constitution.
The petitioner hoped that the court will direct the federal and Punjab government to enforce article 25-A of the constitution in letter and spirit by making a uniform system of education.