ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to submit a full record of land given to private educational institutions in the federal capital. The order came during a hearing on a petition challenging the transfer of a prime government plot to a private school operator.
Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas heard the petition filed by the Federal Government Schools Teachers Association, which questioned the allotment of a 21-kanal plot in Sector F-11/2, valued at nearly Rs20 billion. The land was originally reserved for a government primary school but was later assigned to an upscale private school.
The teachers’ association said the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) signed an agreement in 2023 with a private company to build a high-end school on the plot.
They argued that the land should be used for a government school providing free education, as guaranteed under Article 25-A of the Constitution.
Petitioners’ lawyer Kashif Ali Malik told the court that the state must provide free and compulsory education to all children. He said the FDE was handing over public land to a private entity that would serve only wealthy families.
He added that CDA rules and Islamabad Land Disposal Regulations set clear criteria for allotting land to schools, which were ignored in this case.
— ALSO READ —
Islamabad’s largest bookshop de-sealed
Justice Minhas referred to the Public-Private Partnership Authority Act, which outlines proper procedures for such agreements, and asked the petitioner’s counsel to prepare arguments under this law. The next hearing is scheduled for September 26.
The case has reignited debate over government education priorities and the role of private schools in Islamabad.
Over the years, CDA has given land to private schools at low costs, but many of these institutions charge high fees that ordinary families cannot afford. The F-11 school reportedly promised to admit 20 percent of students for free, but critics say such promises are rarely implemented.
Documents submitted to the court show that the FDE’s Planning Directorate requested possession of the F-11 plot on July 10, 2023.
The letter, signed by Planning Director Inam Jahangir and approved by the director general, stated that the Ministry of Education had already approved the project under a pilot plan to establish schools on a public-private partnership basis, with the F-11 school being the first of the series.
Teachers opposing the move said the decision undermines the principle of universal education and increases inequality in access to schools. “Public resources are being diverted to serve private interests. This land was meant for free primary education, not elite institutions charging tens of thousands in fees,” said an association representative outside the courtroom.
Education activists have also raised concerns, noting Islamabad already faces a shortage of government schools, especially in newly developed sectors.
Official estimates show thousands of children remain out of school in the capital despite constitutional guarantees and repeated government commitments to provide free primary education.
