• Eight out of 19 schools ready to be reopened as policemen start to vacate institutions
• IHC issues notices to IG, others over closure of school occupied by policemen brought in for PTI, PAT dharnas
After much pressure from the parents and civil society, out of 19 schools and colleges still occupied by Punjab Police called in by federal government due to sit ins of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), eight schools and colleges have been vacated fully while another two have been partially vacated.
The schools and colleges which have been vacated completely include IMSG G-6/2, IMSB G-6/4, IMCG G9/2, IMCB G 9/4, IMCB I-10/1, IMSB I 10/2, IMCG F7/4, IMCB F7/3 while IMCG F7/2 and IMCG F10/2 have been partially vacated. And to much relief of parents and students, classes have been started in all the vacated schools.
An official of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) told Pakistan Today that the remaining nine schools will be vacated by Police on Tuesday and the classes will be restored as soon as police leave the campuses.
The students and parents of the nine schools and colleges still occupied by police visited the schools in large numbers on Monday morning as they were anticipating opening of schools on the first day of the week but they had to return to their homes in disappointment over continued closure of their children’s schools and colleges.
IHC IN ACTION:
In the meanwhile, Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued show-cause notices to interior secretary and Islamabad inspector general of police (IGP) for not implementing court orders pertaining to opening of schools in the federal capital.
A single-bench of the IHC comprising Justice Athar Minullah heard the case against imposition of Section 144 in the federal capital.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and his counsel Shiraz Ranjha appeared on behalf of applicants while additional attorney general appeared before the court on behalf of the government.
Justice Minullah asked the chief commissioner why Section 144 was imposed when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan announced at the floor of the house that the sit-ins were given permissions.
On which, Islamabad deputy commissioner informed the court that the government allowed the protestor parties to hold their sit-in at Kashmir Highway and without any violence.
Justice Minullah remarked that the court does not interfere in the political matters but it will not allow anyone to take law into hands. He has asked all the parties to submit their written affidavits over the compact of the government and protesting parties regarding the sit-in.