PESHAWAR: Lawmakers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday drew the government’s attention towards a flaw in the law related to the five per cent job quota for non-Muslims, complaining many vacant posts of schoolteachers can’t be filled in several districts due to unavailability of non-Muslims.

The issue was raised by MPA Ubaid ur Rehman from Lower Dir district on the floor of the house through calling attention notice, with the session chaired by Mohammad Idrees from the panel of the chairmen.

He said that several posts of the teachers reserved for non-Muslims couldn’t be filled at government schools in the northern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the local non-Muslims were not available.

The lawmaker said students in the respective areas were the ultimate sufferers as the local Muslims couldn’t be posted to such posts positions reserved for members of minorities.

Chair refers matter to relevant house committee for discussion, recommendations

He said that during the year 2022, in union councils where minority candidates were not available, the vacant minority quota positions were filled by appointing candidates from the local union council, which proved to be a practical and effective solution.

“This situation not only raises questions about the effective implementation of the policy but also practically harms the education system,” he said.

Mr Rehman said due to those positions remaining vacant, a severe shortage of teachers had developed in schools, which, under Article 25-A of the Constitution (Free and Compulsory Education), was obstructing the provision of children’s fundamental right to education and was severely affecting the students’ academic performance.

He said keeping ground realities in mind, an alternative policy should be devised for the positions remaining vacant under the minority job quota.

The lawmaker said as was done in 2022, in union councils where minority candidates were not available, permission should be granted to fill those positions with local candidates from the relevant union council.

He called for measures on an emergency basis to immediately address the shortage of teachers.

MPA of the ruling PTI Anwar Khan supported the mover’s points, saying the issue has also stopped the appointment of teachers to schools in several union councils in Upper Dir district as non-Muslims are not available there. He demanded of the government to address the issue by amending the prescribed law and policy in the “larger interest of students”, saying such posts were advertised time and again but to no avail as the region has no non-Muslim.

Responding to the queries of lawmakers, elementary and secondary education minister Arshad Ayub told the house that many MPAs had already approached him about the matter.

He said that under the law if non-Muslims were not available for their quota posts at district level, then non-Muslims from the adjourning district should be recruited at such seats.

“If there is no one in the adjacent district, non-Muslims from districts in the same division should be appointed,” he said.

The minister said the law and policy were silent about a situation when someone from a minority community was not available at the divisional level.

The chair referred the matter to the relevant house committee at the request of the education minister and the mover for threadbare discussion and recommendations.

MPA Asif Khan Mehsud informed the house about the “ruthless” deforestation in South Waziristan tribal district.

He said if the houses were demolished and people were killed for their alleged association with militants, why the centuries old trees in the forests were chopped down.

“I have videos of tree felling and can share them with the speaker as well as treasury and opposition members,” he said.

The lawmaker requested the chair to form a house committee to check deforestation in the region, saying the issue has created panic among residents. The chair adjourned the session due to lack of quorum until next Monday.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2026