PESHAWAR, March 20: Representatives of Private Educational Institutions Management Association and Islami Nizamat-i-Taleem on Tuesday demanded that the NWFP government should restrain officials of the City Development and Municipal Department from pressing them to allocate three per cent seats for their children at private schools in Hayatabad.

Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, PEIMA general secretary Nazar Hussain and INT director Haji Fazlullah Daudzai alleged that CDMD director-general Sareer Ahmed and CDMD director (planning and development) Abdul Haleem Pracha had misused their powers and ordered PEIMA members to allocate three per cent seats (free education) as quota for the children of CDMD employees in their schools.

They said: “Over 400 children of CDMD officials and other employees are enrolled at private schools, but they don’t pay any fee. It is extortion on the part of government officials, who consider them above the law.”

They said that they had taken up the matter with the secretary of local government rural development department, who through a letter issued on Sept 26, 2006 termed the demand of CDMD officials as illegal and unjust.

They said that despite the directives of the secretary, the CDMD officials and subordinate staff had been blackmailing them to sign an agreement with the CDMD.

They said that when the management of a private school refused to pay this monthly extortion to the CDMD officials, they got the board of the school removed from the vicinity of Hayatabad.

They called upon the government to suspend the CDMD director-general and director P&D for misusing their powers and harassing the PEIMA members.

They warned that if the government failed to take any action against both CDMD officials, the PEIMA would have no other option, but to close their schools.

They alleged that the CDMD officials were running their parallel government in the province, which had trampled the orders of secretary of local government department.

They urged the government to order an inquiry against both the CDMD officials and provide them protection from their revengeful actions.