A new report claims that the PTI-Led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government weakened the KP private schools law only two weeks after it came into force. According to sources, a provision that let authorities close or seal non-compliant schools was replaced with a simple fine.
What the Original Law Said
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Private Schools Regulatory Authority Act was issued on June 9, 2017. Under Section 22, every private school in the province had to register with the Authority to keep operating.
Sub-section 22(4) gave the Authority real enforcement power. It could seal or shut down any private school that failed to register or fell short of its obligations.
How the KP Private Schools Law Changed on June 23, 2017
On June 23, 2017, the provincial government amended the Act. The amendment removed sub-section 22(4), and with it the power to seal or close private schools. Financial penalties took its place.
In practice, a school that ignored the registration rule could no longer be shut down under this provision. It could only be fined.
Why Was the Amendment Made? Sources Point to Political Interests
Sources claim the change was not made in the public interest. They allege the amendment was designed to protect private educational institutions linked to PTI leaders, including Asad Qaiser and Mushtaq Ghani.
The same sources say Section 22(4) was specifically targeted for this purpose. They further allege the amendment was added in 2017 at the request of Asad Qaiser, then the PTI Speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, and others, because they were themselves involved in the private school business.
What Remains Unconfirmed
These allegations come from unnamed sources and have not been independently verified. The report does not include a response from the individuals named. The change in the text of the law, however, is a matter of record: the closure power was in the Act when it was issued on June 9 and gone by June 23.
For parents, school owners and regulators in the province, the episode raises a pointed question about how much authority the Regulatory Authority actually holds over schools that break the rules.