PESHAWAR: Parents of students enrolled in private educational institutions in Hayatabad on Wednesday urged the provincial government to intervene and direct the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) to withdraw notices issued to educational institutions operating in residential buildings.

They warned that thousands of students could be disrupted if the notices were not withdrawn.

Addressing a press conference at Peshawar Press Club, Parents Action Committee president Shandana Zaman and vice president Nafees Khan said that the notices issued by the PDA had created uncertainty and distress among parents and students alike.

Ms Zaman said the notices, which require property owners to vacate premises being used commercially by July 15, 2026, affect 22 private educational institutions in Hayatabad where more than 25,000 students are currently enrolled.

She urged Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to act in line with former prime minister Imran Khan’s stated vision of an “education emergency” and ensure that students’ access to education remains uninterrupted.

According to the committee, the timing of the notices has intensified concerns among parents as they have been issued during the academic session, leaving families uncertain about the future of their children’s schooling.

Ms Zaman said Hayatabad Township with a population exceeding 200,000 had limited public-sector educational facilitie, including only six primary schools, two higher secondary schools and two colleges, making private institutions a major source of education for local residents.

She questioned how the government would accommodate thousands of students if the institutions were forced to close, warning that parents would be compelled to seek admissions in distant areas.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2026