A controversial new directive by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Lahore has triggered widespread frustration among students and parents after the board restricted all fee payments to Habib Bank Limited (HBL) alone, causing major inconvenience across the city.
Under the revised policy, students can now submit exam and form fees only through the HBL mobile app or by visiting its physical branches. Although Easypaisa remains available as a secondary option, all other banking channels have been disabled, forcing thousands to rely on a limited system.
The shift has led to severe bottlenecks, with students who do not have HBL accounts facing exceptionally long queues at branches. Many say the process consumes nearly an entire day just to pay the fee, followed by another day for verification, disrupting academic preparation and adding unnecessary stress during an already demanding period.
Parents have joined the protests, calling the policy discriminatory and impractical for families who either lack access to HBL services or prefer alternative digital platforms. They argue that the decision seems designed for administrative ease rather than student welfare, creating avoidable hurdles for those already burdened by academic pressures.
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Despite mounting public criticism, BISE Lahore has not issued any formal justification for introducing the one-bank payment model, nor has it indicated whether multiple payment methods will be restored to ease the situation.