*HIGH COURT RULES*

Lahore High court rules education should be accessible at all ages.

LAHORE/PAKISTAN : The decision was made on a petition filed by a woman who was denied admission to an intermediate college after having discontinued her studies for five years following her matriculation.

The petitioner said that she had been unable to continue her education following her marriage but decided to get an admission after her divorce.

She argued that she was denied admission to a college based on a notification issued by the provincial higher education secretary, which was against her fundamental rights as a citizen.

*The court upheld her petition, setting aside the notification*.

The court held that a policy should be based on ''sound reasons'' , rational and should be in accordance with the law.''

However, the judge said, the only rationale he could find for upholding the policy was that the  ''same'' age group candidates may not be disturbed by adult students in the institutions''.

Nonetheless, ''the right of education cannot be denied to any citizen of the country at any stage of their age,'' the learned Justice held. [Agencies]