PESHAWAR: The owners of private educational institutions here on Thursday demanded of the provincial government to allot them plots in Hayatabad Township so that they could shift their institutions from residential areas.

Addressing a press conference, National Education Council (NEC) chairman Nazar Hussain said that government should provide them land in Phase-VIII of Hayatabad for setting up schools so that the issues could be resolved for good.

He opposed sale of the plots meant for educational institutions and said that the policy would deprive the actual owners of plots and only well-off people would take advantage of it.

“Only rich will get plots in open auction and the people, running educational institutions, will be unable to compete with them,” said Mr Hussain.

Oppose open auction of plots meant for educational institutions

He said that auction of plots, reserved for educational institutions, was sheer violation of the government allotment policy.

He said that sale of those plots was also a violation of the rules of Peshawar Development Authority.

Flanked by Peace and Welfare Society Hayatabad president Mazhar Wakeel, Mr Hussain said private educational institutions were rendering social welfare services.

He appreciated the provincial government for constituting a committee to resolve the issue of private educational institutions in Hayatabad Township, saying it was historic decision of the government, which could save future of thousands of students and jobs of their teachers.

Mr Hussain urged the government to de-seal two private educational institutions, which had been sealed by PDA during raids in Hayatabad. He also demanded of the government to give representation to National Education Council in the committee.

Speaking on the occasion, Mazhar Wakeel urged the government to allot alternative plots to educational institutions, in Phase-VIII as parents were not ready to send their children to far off areas due to lawlessness.

He said that there should be declared education city everywhere in the province. Action should be taken against an educational institution if its performance was unsatisfactory, he added.

Mr Waleek said that the previous provincial government had already declared Hayatabad Phase-V as education city while there was also ample empty space in Hayatabad Phase-III so they should be provided plots to shift the private educational institutions there to overcome the problems once for all.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2016