Owners of private schools stage sit-in

PESHAWAR: The owners of the private schools from across the province on Tuesday staged a protest sit-in outside the provincial assembly building despite rain to press the government for acceptance of their demands. Holding banners and placards, a large number of private school owners and teachers started a protest march from Hashtnagri and after passing through main GT Road, they reached the provincial assembly where they staged the sit in. Speaking on the occasion, Fazal Hussain, Aqeel Razzaq, Ahmad Ali Darwesh, Dr Zakir Shah and others said that the government had fixed September 15 as the date for reopening of all educational institutions. The government should implement this decision and avoid further delay in resumption of the educational activities, they added. Some private educational institutions have already reopened in defiance of the government’s instructions. The authorities have sealed most of such schools, and imprisoned their heads and imposed fines on them. The protesters demanded the government to immediately release the detainees, unseal the schools and write off the fines. They also demanded the government to announce a relief package for the private schools.