The Private Schools Owners’ Federation has announced to keep private schools closed for an indefinite period in Lahore, and asked the Punjab government to assure foolproof security for the institutions.
In a statement issued on Saturday, federation’s President Kashif Baig Mirza said the owners of private schools had cooperated with the government and kept the schools closed but now it was the government’s responsibility to make foolproof security arrangements for educational institutes.
He said that their demands were not unconstitutional, adding that the private schools were adhering to the rules and regulations laid down by the government.
Mirza also demanded the government dropped the cases registered against private schools over inadequate security measures. “All we want is protection,” he said, adding the owners of private schools would take to streets on Monday if negotiations with the government failed.
The provincial government had announced closure of both government and private schools across Punjab from January 26 till January 31, citing severe cold as the reason behind the move. Sources however say the announcement about closure of schools was meant to boost security following a Taliban attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda earlier this month.