PHC Orders Review Of Peshawar Public School Boys-Girls Branches Merger

2025-07-14 03:05:44

(MENAFN- Tribal News Network) The Peshawar High Court has directed the Board of Governors of Peshawar Public School and College to re-evaluate its controversial 2017 decision to merge the boys' and girls' branches of the school. The court ordered that grievances raised by the affected staff and petitioners be taken into account before making any final determination.

The directive came during the hearing of writ petition No. 6022-P/2023, filed by the Welfare Association of the boys' branch and other staff members through Advocate Nauman Mohib Kakakhel. The petitioners challenged the merger decision, terming it unlawful, unconsulted, and lacking any feasibility study.

They argued that the boys' branch had been both academically strong and financially self-sufficient, while the girls' branch had been running in deficit. From 2012 to 2017, the girls' branch was excluded from paying utility bills and repair costs, which were instead shifted to the boys' branch. They further claimed the merger resulted in delayed salaries, depleted savings funds, and declining infrastructure standards at the school.

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Advocate Kakakhel contended that the merger was a decision taken beyond the legal jurisdiction of the relevant authorities, without formal approval or quorum, and in violation of the principles of natural justice, as the affected parties were not heard.

Representing the government, Additional Advocate General Syed Mukhtiar Ali Shah and Advocate Abdul Hameed Khan argued that the merger was a policy decision, thus beyond the court's writ jurisdiction. They also informed the court that the school board had already scheduled a meeting to re-examine the merger decision.

A division bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad and Justice Fazal Subhan stopped short of annulling the merger but ordered the school administration to present all complaints before the Board of Governors and ensure a comprehensive review is conducted in the institution's best interest.

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