KARACHI - More than a dozen teachers were taken into custody on Wednesday for protesting near Chief Minister House for violating section 144 imposed by the provincial authorities.
The protesting teachers calling for promotions based on a time-scale formula and change in the management cadre among other demands started their protest rally from Karachi Press Club and were baton charged as soon as they reached the Chief Minister House in the red zone area of the city.
The police arrested the protesting teachers including women, who were forcibly moved into a police mobile by lady constables as they shouted at the law enforcers. The college teachers however remained defiant and during their ongoing protest at KPC after being dispersed from CM House said that they would continue the protest unless their colleagues are released. The college education department of the provincial government declared the protest unjust and said that it disregard of Section 144 put in place for Chup Tazia.
In the statement issued by the college education department, the teachers protest blocked main roads in district South Karachi in violation of general restrictions in place at red zone of the city. This caused huge inconvenience to general public and created unpleasant situation unbecoming of teachers.
The department said that the teachers demanding promotion through time-scale. Have already had their case in Sindh High Court since 2017 where Government of Sindh is made party. Last hearing of the case was held on 1st November 2019 where High Court fixed hearing for 15th November 2019 and asked College Education Department to submit details of promotions given to college teachers since 2017.
It further said that the department has promoted college teachers in the past despite poor results from the government colleges in the intermediate results. It said that the college education department authorities had also met with the teachers to increase number of senior college teachers.
We also recently requested Sindh Public Service Commission to recruit 2,500 new college teachers which includes 1500 lecturers of various subjects, the department said adding the protesting teachers want the posts of new lecturers abolished thereby closing the doors of jobs for young fresh graduates from universities.
It further blamed that this group of teachers has disrupted the teaching and learning process at colleges where academic activities are at their peak.
Political parties
condemn baton charge
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmaker Khurram Sher Zaman and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman castigated police baton charge and arrest of government college teachers, protesting in front of Sindh Chief Minister House.
The JI city chief in his message said that the manhandling of male and female teachers was unacceptable by any mean in a civilized society.
He demanded immediate release of arrested teachers. Sindh education department rather resolving their just demands for a time scale, promotion and other issues has demonstrated inhuman behaviour towards them, Naeem-ur-Rehman added.
Sindh Chief Minister should take notice of this ugly incident and take steps forthwith for a permanent solution of teachers’ issues, he asked.
