The Senate Standing Committee on Defence was informed that 32 unauthorised educational institutes operating in residential areas of Westridge, Cantonment Board of Rawalpindi, would be closed down within three months.
The committee meeting chaired by Lt Gen (r) Salahuddin Tirmizi was apprised by Defence authorities that population of the Rawalpindi Cantonment was about one million, and five Cantonment Board schools, 23 government schools, and 32 unauthorised private schools educational institutes were operating there.
The final notice would be given to the unauthorised schools by the Rawalpindi Cantonment by February 15, giving them a three-month time to close their operations and shift from the residential areas.
Following which the unauthorised schools will be sealed, locked down and not allowed to operate in future.
The private schools operating in residential properties at Westridge-I, II and III include SLS School at Halli Road, International Islamic University and School at Halli Road, Smart School at Westridge-I, Beaconhouse School at Halli Road, The City School at Westridge-I, Radely Elementary School at Khursheed Alam Road, Global Educational Academy at Khursheed Alam Road, Oriental Grammar School at Westridge-I, Dar-e-Arqam School at Peshawar Road, Indus Valley School and Learning at Atta-ul-Haq Road, The Educators School at Atta-ul-Haq Road, Scholars College at Atta-ul-Haq Road, Bahria Foundation College at Westridge-I, SLS School at Abek Road, Westridge Academy at main Iqbal Road, Dar-e-Arqam School at Abek Road, Roots International School at Chairing Cross Westridge-I, Ambrose Hall School at Westridge, Bahria Foundation College at Westridge-I, The Nation School near China Hospital, The Grammar School at Old-6 Avenue-I, Bahria Foundation College at main Peshawar Road, Peak Montessori High School at Shah Piyara Road, Charter House Montessori School at Shah Piyara Road, The Westridge Academy at main Allahabad Road, Growing Years High School at main Allahabad Road, Peers School of Excellence Academy at main Allahabad Road, The Cantt Cambridge School at main Allahabad Road, Ali Foundation at Ashiyana Chowk, Albayan School System at main Allahabad Road, SLS Montessori at Raja Akram Road, and Dar-e-Arqam School at Valley Road.
The committee was of the view that the schools should be given appropriate time to complete the ongoing educational session to facilitate students studying there.
The action is being taken on a complaint of Senator (r) Muhammad Zahid Khan that private schools and educational institutions are operating in Westridge in violation of the Cantonment Board’s commercialisation policy.
The Defence authorities clarified that the residential quarters were allotted in the areas to civilians under a tenancy agreement and not on a lease.
The body was informed that recently the Station Headquarters initiated action against the tenants of 34 quarters who were found involved in illegal immoral activities.
Out of 34, they said 31 quarters had been vacated and the vacation process of remaining three was underway adding the law abiding citizens tenants are peacefully living in remaining 263 quarters in Risala Lines and no such action has been initiated against them.
Originally they said there were 258 quarters which had been sub-divided into 371 small quarters out of which 74 were with FC and Lorali Scouts and 297 were given to civilians on rent.
The committee was also briefed on working on the Cantonment General Hospital (CGH) Rawalpindi where currently 67 doctors, 163 paramedical staff, three administrative staff, and 105 other workers were performing their duties. The hospital has 23 departments with a collective capacity of 199 beds, the authorities said.
The committee was apprised that a medical college would be set up in the hospital.
Among others the meeting was attended by Ilyas Ahmad Bilour, Hidayat Ullah, Atta-ur-Rehman, Col (r) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Lt Gen (r) Abdul Qayyum, Muhammad Javed Abbasi, Farhatullah Babar, Sehar Kamran, Brig (r) John Kenneth Williams, Chaudhry Tanvir Khan, Sardar Muhammad Azam Khan Musakhel, Muhammad Zahid, Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar, and Secretary Defence Lt Gen (r) Zameer-ul-Hassan Shah.
