LAHORE - The Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association (PPLA) on Monday observed strike in colleges after 10am across the province after the Punjab government refused to accept their demands.

According to the sources, the boycott at Lahore colleges remained symbolic on the first day of strike by teachers.

Spokesperson for the PPLA told The Nation that at other stations in Punjab like Sialkot, Lodhran, Gujranwala and Bahawalpur strike was observed in true spirit. He said that a delegation of PPLA met the additional secretary and secretary for the Higher Education Department on Friday, but no notification about acceptance of their demands was issued despite verbal assurances. “We will not end the protest until a notification is issued,” he said.

“If the government continues to ignore our demands, we will boycott the classes as the last resort,” he said.

Boycott of classes was observed at a big number of colleges across Punjab. Besides classes, the protesting teachers boycotted pre-board and pre-university exams at the Government College for Women, Chakwal; Government Degree College, Bhagatwala, Sargodha; Government Degree College for Women, Rawalpindi; Government Post Graduate College; Gurunanak College, Nankana Sahib; Government Degree College for Women, Ahmedpur Sharqia, Bahawalpur; Government College for Women, Faisalabad; Government Post Graduate College, Hafizabad; Government Ghazali College, Jhang; Government Ghaghar Mandi College, Lahore and Government Degree College Makhdoom Ali, Lodhran.

In Lahore, teachers somehow softened their stance when it came to boycott of classes and continued teaching students as per schedule after the symbolic protest.

According to some reports, some roads were blocked in Sialkot, Gujranwala and Narowal by protesting teachers.

Hundreds of teachers under the banner of PPLA have been staging a sit-in in front of the Punjab Assembly for the last seven days.

They are demanding increase in pay and promotions on time, but no significant progress has been made on their demands. On the other hand, commuters are facing problems due to blockade of The Mall at Charing Cross.

Also, visually impaired persons staged a protest in front of the Lahore Press Club on Monday, demanding implementation of quota for the disabled in government jobs. Around two dozen people gathered in front of the press club and blocked the road and chanted slogans against Punjab government.