PHC suspends notification on closure of 102 schools

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday suspended a notification of the political administration of Mohmand Agency on closure of 102 schools in the agency and sought reply from the additional chief secretary of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). A division bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Musarrat Hilali suspended the notification of the political administration regarding schools closer in the agency.

The bench also issued notice to Secretary Law and Order Fata, Director Education Fata and Political Agent Mohmand Agency to explain their position about closure of the schools.  The court issued directives in a writ petition of a tribal elder Malik Fazal Rabi Safi filed against the closure of the schools in the agency. The petitioner’s lawyer, Raza Khan Safi, informed the bench that the petitioner is a Malik of Safi tribe in the agency. He stated the number of government schools in the agency had already decreased as the terrorists bombed many schools. To promote education in Mohmand tribal region, he said the political administration should rebuild the destroyed schools.  He said first 102 schools were merged in other ones and on January 28, 2016 a notification was issued on the closure of the schools. —Correspondent