ISLAMABAD: The Al-Huda International Welfare Foundation is being accused of running an upscale commercial school on land worth billions of rupees that it was allotted for free by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to run a seminary for women and girls.

According to the CDA’s records, the authority allotted the foundation 2.066 acres in H-11 for a seminary on the basis of a 33-year lease for free in 1997.

The Al-Huda International School is also operating on this land, and according to the Ministry of Federal Education is charging between Rs7,000 and Rs10,900 per month.

Last summer, Peira informed CDA that school was operating on land allotted for free

In August 2018, the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (Peira), a subsidiary of the education ministry, wrote to the CDA chairman informing him of the violations of CDA’s allotment letter.

Peira’s letter, available with Dawn, stated that “while processing the case of registration of Alhuda International School 7-A K Brohi Road, Sector H-11/4, terms and conditions of allotment letter – lease agreement and approval of plot by CDA, vis-a vis the existing situation of the institution has been analysed and it has come to the notice of PEIRA that the said plot was allotted on lease by CDA free of cost for setting up of a Deeni Madrassa for imparting religious education to female students.”

“Instead of setting up a Deeni Madrassa for imparting religious education to female students – a private school namely, Alhuda International School has been established and monthly tuition fee is being charged from the students ranging from Rs7,000 to Rs10,900.

“In addition to this, Admission Fee Rs25,000 Security Deposit 5,500, Annual Charges Rs4,500 are also being charged, as per detailed provided in the prospectus of the institution,” the letter added.

The authority said it was evident that the Al-Huda International School is “not a not-for-profit organization/Madrassa”, violating the terms and conditions of the allotment letter.

Piera told the CDA: “Moreover, the management of the school is running the institute on commercial basis and earning profit at the expense of taxpayer’s money.”

A Piera official said they have refused registration for the school and referred the case to the CDA.

Sources in the CDA have said that the authority’s building control section has issued a notice to the school’s management for non-conforming use of their property and referred the case to the CDA deputy commissioner for further legal action.

But Director Estate Ghulam Shabbir said the school has submitted an undertaking that there have been no violations of the allotment’s terms and conditions.

He said the authority had stopped action for the time being and accepted their reply, allowing them to continue operating, but kept them under observation. However, he said, they have recently received more reports of violations, and have therefore decided to take action against them.

CDA Member Estate Khushal Khan said the CDA was recently informed of the violations by the building control section and has decided to issue the school a show-cause notice.

According to the Al-Huda International School website, the school was “an aspiration of Dr Farhat Hashmi and a dream shared by thousands of Muslims within Pakistan and abroad”.

The website details of schools running in the capital, one in F-8 and another in H-11, as well as the fee structure for 2018-2019 session.

The school’s admission fee is Rs28,000, and tuition charges range from Rs6,900 to Rs12,750. The website also lists a refundable security deposit of Rs6,500 and annual charges of Rs4,500.

In a document submitted to the CDA last year, Dr Hashmi provided a contact number with her name for further correspondence.

When Dawn called this number, it was answered by someone who identified himself as the school’s director administration. He said that rather than seeking a statement from the school, Dawn should seek public feedback to determine how “we are contributing”.

He said: “We have submitted our reply to the CDA to satisfy them. We are not violating any terms and conditions of the agreement.”

Another Al-Huda International School official also said there had been no violations of the agreement.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2019