Balochistan private schools threaten contempt plea over Quetta fee ban

What happened

The Balochistan Private Schools Associations Alliance has asked the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Quetta West to explain the legal basis for a restriction on collecting three months’ school fees at one time. The Alliance said it would file a contempt of court petition if the matter is not resolved. It made the statement at a press conference on Tuesday, according to Dawn [1].

According to the Alliance, the DC verbally announced during a Khuli Kutcheri (open court) in Kuchlak that private schools would not be allowed to collect three months’ fees at once. The Alliance says he warned that non-compliance could lead to cancellation of school registrations and closure of institutions. The Alliance has asked for the legal justification for this verbal directive and for official guidelines on collecting school fees [1].

A letter issued by the DC Quetta West’s office on October 9 cited a Supreme Court ruling on fees during winter vacations. The Alliance said that judgement related to the exceptional circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic and urged authorities to review the original text before imposing blanket restrictions under it [1].

Daily Times and Pakistan Observer report that private schools in Quetta have been barred from collecting winter vacation fees following a Balochistan High Court ruling. Both reports say Deputy Commissioner Munir Ahmed Durrani issued a notification directing schools to comply with the court’s orders [2][3]. Pakistan Observer reports that the notification was issued as an official document [3]. Daily Times says the report did not give the ruling’s full legal scope or say whether the restriction applies beyond Quetta [2].

The Alliance said more than 3,500 schools operate across Balochistan, educating over 900,000 students and employing thousands of teachers. It said 475 private schools closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, adding pressure on institutions [1].

Who is affected

• Private schools in Quetta, as named in the Daily Times and Pakistan Observer reports [2][3]
• Private schools across Balochistan, according to the Alliance’s figures of more than 3,500 schools, over 900,000 students and thousands of teachers [1]
• Parents facing demands for winter vacation fees, as both reports describe the complaint process [2][3]

What students should do next

Parents who face demands for winter vacation fees can submit complaints to the Deputy Commissioner’s Office or the relevant education department, according to Daily Times and Pakistan Observer [2][3].