MANSEHRA: The All Primary Teachers Association (APTA) on Wednesday demanded that the provincial government reverse its decision to outsource public sector schools, insisting the move was against the Constitution and would deprive poor children of access to education.

“The government has started outsourcing schools in our district, which is unacceptable to us at any cost, as this step will deprive students of free education,” APTA president Attique Mughal told reporters here.

He said that the district education officers (male and female) had ordered the transfer and posting of around 117 teachers from the outsourced schools to other public sector educational institutions across the district.

“The government plans to outsource as many as 420 boys’ and girls’ schools across the district. In the first phase, 46 schools have been outsourced, and their teachers transferred,” Mr Mughal said.

“According to the agreement reached between the government and private parties, the latter will provide free education to children for one year and then start charging fees similar to those charged by private sector schools,” he said.

The APTA president said that when the government first introduced the outsourcing policy, it announced that only schools with an enrollment of fewer than 40 students would be handed over to the private sector, but now institutions with up to 200 students had also been outsourced.

“The outsourcing of public sector schools is against Article 25-A of the Constitution, which guarantees free and compulsory education to children,” Mr Mughal said.

TRANSGENDER PERSONS DATA: The police on Wednesday began collecting data, including residential addresses, of transgender persons following a surge in crimes in the city and other parts of the district.

“Crimes allegedly involving transgender persons have increased in recent days, sparking public concern. To effectively deal with the situation, we have started strictly enforcing the National Action Plan, under which no house can be rented out without police registration,” SP central Shahnawaz Khan told reporters.

In an official letter issued to the SHOs, Mr Khan stated that criminal activities had been reported at some residences associated with transgender persons. “Places where transgender persons reside, particularly where individuals are suspected of impersonation, should be strictly monitored,” he said.

Meanwhile, the police have served notices to owners of the houses rented out to transgender persons in the city and its suburbs, warning them to register tenancy agreements or face legal action under the NAP.

The police also released details of five FIRs registered in recent days against transgender persons. In one case, a transgender individual was booked for allegedly luring a young boy to his residence and assaulting him.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2026