Will Karachi private schools remain closed on Friday?

rivate school administrations in Karachi have withdrawn their planned protest and strike against the Sindh Anti-Corruption Department following assurances from Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, officials said on Thursday.

The decision was made after representatives of private school associations met the education minister to raise concerns over alleged harassment by anti-corruption officials. The meeting was also attended by Secretary Schools and Director Schools Rafia Javed, according to a spokesperson for the Sindh Education Department.

During the meeting, school representatives briefed the minister on their complaints, alleging undue pressure and inappropriate conduct by anti-corruption teams during inspections.

Education Minister Shah said the Anti-Corruption Department must operate strictly in line with court orders but stressed that school administrations and parents should not be unnecessarily troubled. He added that conduct during inspections should remain professional.

The minister said he had informed Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah about the issue and stated that the Education Department and Anti-Corruption Department would jointly develop a mechanism to ensure proper implementation of court directives.

Earlier, the Grand Alliance of Private Schools Associations had announced a province-wide shutdown of private schools and colleges on January 9. The alliance cited concerns over the verification of freeship lists under a December 8, 2025, Sindh High Court Sukkur Bench ruling.

The associations alleged that direct inspections by anti-corruption teams violated the Sindh Private Institutions Act, 2013, and said they planned to file a fresh petition in court.