Punjab govt challenges LHC verdict in private schools’ fee hike case

LAHORE: The Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday admitted an appeal, filed by the Punjab government, against the Lahore High Court’s verdict in private schools’ fee case, and issued notices to the parties.

The court also appointed Ashtar Ausaf as an amicus curie in the matter. The SC bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, heard the matter at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry.

A full LHC bench had struck down complete bar on increase in fee for academic years 2015-16 and 2017-18 at the rate of five and eight per cent, respectively. While deciding the petitions filed by private schools challenging the vires of certain sub-clauses of Section 7-A of the Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation) Ordinance, 1984, inserted in 2015, the bench had held that the government’s move to set the limit of fee increase was an unreasonable and unproportionate restriction on private schools’ fundamental rights.