Children from the suburbs of Rawalpindi and Islamabad along with various community members belonging to various strata participated in a rally that started from F-6 Markaz and ended at the National Press Club. They demanded access of children to quality education under Article 25 A of the constitution. They also said all the provinces and the ICT should have comprehensive legislation on right to education. The participants of the rally, expressing their concern over access of quality education deteriorating in the country, asked the federal and provincial governments to take interest in the uplift of public schools which are getting out of reach of poor people. Children in shabby clothes, holding placards, candles and umbrellas in their hands, joined the rally. Before the rally, members of civil society belonging to Balochistan, FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, KP, Punjab, Sindh, and Azad Kashmir participated in a seminar. Talking to reporters, Zehra Arshed, national, coordinator of Pakistan Coalition for Education (PCE), said that their major demands were immediate enactment of law for education throughout Pakistan. She urged civil society to get engaged in comprehensive legislation, its implementation and monitoring’. She also urged the media to play its role in highlighting this important issue.
