Aitzaz Ahsan, representing Bahria Town, said that on the order of the State Bank of Pakistan, his client's accounts were frozen due to that they could not pay salaries to the employees and meet other expenses, adding that Bahria's accounts were not fake. A lawyer informed the court that MDA's accounts have also been frozen. The lawyer said the Authority and Bahria Town aren't even able to pay salaries.
The Chief Justice said that the court's order is very clear. He said that the government institutions often try to be over efficient. They also froze the accounts in the school fees case. "We did not order the accounts to be frozen in that case, but the FIA exceeded its authority," he said. "Due to accounts being sealed, the release of Bahria Town employees' salaries and other development work has ceased," the counsel said.
The Chief Justice also asked Ahsan, "Why has his client still not changed Bahria's name despite court's orders?" "A period of six months was given for that," the counsel replied. "Have those six months still not lapsed?" the judge asked. Aitzaz replied that renaming process is under way.
School Fee: The Chief Justice also clarified that the order regarding the schools was not limited to 27 schools but it was for all the private schools across the country. He said in the fake accounts case the accounts were not frozen on the court's directives. "We only ordered the monitoring of the accounts," the CJP added.
The Supreme Court on December 13 had ordered that all private schools which are charging more than Rs 5000 as monthly fee to reduce 20% of the existing fee and return or adjust summer vacations fees. The court said the school can increase fee 5% annually in an academic year. But if any school raises it more than 5% then it has to get permission from the regulator as under the law, the fee needs to be approved by the regulator.
The court ordered schools which have received summer vacations fee to adjust or return half of the amount of it to the parents within a period of two months. The private schools' owners were warned that in no circumstance will they close schools or expel any student; otherwise, action will be taken against them.