RAWALPINDI: After cancellation of the leases of 15 private schools, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has asked their owners to vacate the buildings.

However, the private schools and colleges decided to start a protest against the decision.

A senior RCB official told Dawn that the leases of private schools had been cancelled by the Military Estate Office last week. To implement the decision, the civic body issued notices to them to vacate the buildings as soon as possible. He said more schools would soon be added to the list for cancellation of their leases soon.

The RCB conducted a survey and found many private schools functioning in residential areas. A report was later sent to the federal government, he added.

The official said the RCB had identified more than 35 such schools, especially on Peshawar Road and Westridge. He said initially the Military Estate Office cancelled the leases of 15 schools in phases.

The survey was conducted on the directives of the federal government and another survey would be launched soon. He said traffic congestion on roads had been a serious issue forcing the residents to demand shifting of the private schools to commercial areas.

However, Cantonment Private Schools and Colleges Management Association President Malik Naseem said the decision to cancel the leases of private schools and colleges was against the interest of the residents as they would have to go to other areas for admission of their children.

He said the association had decided to stage a protest to press the government to withdraw the decision otherwise the matter would be taken to court.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2018