The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) on Monday ruled out the possibility of any “immediate action” against the private educational institutions situated in Karachi's residential areas.

Earlier in the day, many media houses reported that the SBCA has issued notices to all schools operating in residential areas ordering them to wind up their operations within a month’s time.

However, SBCA Director Iftikhar Kaimkhani clarified that the authority had only made the educational institutions “alert” while preparing them to move their facilities to the buildings, meeting all regulations by the start of next academic year.

“There is a confusion, I think, among the educational institutions and people after we issued the public notice,” Kaimkhani told Dawn.

The SBCA further said that the regulatory body does not intend to “touch any of the running schools this academic year, neither does it plan to bulldoze or vacate them”.

“We realise the sensitivity of the situation and can’t make such a big decision all of sudden,” Kaimkhani said, adding that the building control authority was in touch with the private schools’ association and other educational institutions and “we have made our position clear to them as well”.

The SBCA in its “public notice” had said that it was illegal to “run a business in residential areas or to use a residential place for any other purposes”.

The notice, which the SBCA said should be treated as ‘Final Notice’, further read: “Private Schools Association of Karachi is also requested to ensure shifting of their schools/educational institutions/tuition centres on proper designated premises/plot during winter vacations.”