Police detain over 50 teachers for protesting in ‘red zone’

The teachers, who took to the streets demanding time scale based promotions, had staged a sit-in outside CM House

KARACHI: Teachers of government colleges from across Sindh staged a sit-in outside the Chief Minister (CM) House in Karachi on Wednesday, demanding time scale based promotions.

The protest began at Karachi Press Club, where teachers from various cities, including Ghotki, Larkana, Shikarpur, Nawabshah, Dadu, Mehar, Karachi, Sukkur and Hyderabad, gathered, carrying banners and shouting slogans, in order to press the relevant authorities to accept their demands.

From KPC, the protesters moved towards the CM House, intending to stage a sit-in over there. As the protesters made their way towards the CM House, a large contingent of police, along with water cannons, was called to the spot, citing security concerns. Moreover, police officials placed barriers in the protesters' way, in order to prevent them from reaching the CM House. The protesters, however, managed to cross all the barriers and reached outside the CM House, where they staged a sit-in.

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Addressing the protesters during the demonstration, Time Scale Committee for Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association Chairperson Professor Mansoor Anwar said that teachers have the right to protest for the acceptance of their "legitimate demands."

"We are protesting on behalf of 8,500 teachers who have been deprived of their right of time-scale based promotions for the past 10 years," he said.

Professor Anwar said that former CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah had assured the teachers back in 2011 that a summary pertaining to time scale promotions would be passed soon but no action was taken in this regard thereafter. "The notification is pending for the past 10 years," he added. Anwar said that a system needs to be devised for promoting teachers on the basis of time scale after every seven years.

He demanded that immediate measures be taken to pass the summary and issue a notification for this purpose.

"It will only take a signature for the summary to pass," he said, addressing the partakers of the demonstration, and added that they will continue to protest until the government issues a notification.

He lambasted the government for its "cruelty that has even forced women to take to streets and for denying teachers their rights."

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Meanwhile, Sindh Agriculture and Supply and Prices Ministers Muhammad Ismail Rahoo reached the site of the protest to negotiate with the teachers but failed to appease the angry protesters. Later, Education Additional Secretary Nuzhat Fatima too requested the teachers to give the government more time for deliberations. However, her request was rejected and the teachers continued the demonstration outside the CM House.

As the sit-in continued, police removed the barriers placed earlier. Though, it was only a matter of six hours, after which police came into action, clashed with the protesters and dispersed them, reportedly, taking more than 50 into custody. It has also been reported that the arrested teachers were shifted to a nearby police station.

Despite police action, the teachers are determined to continue the protest if their demands are not met.

Following police action, they again gathered at KPC and announced to continue their protest until the fulfillment of their demands. They expressed annoyance over authorities requesting for more time while ill-treating them at the same time when they have only been protesting for the acceptance of their legitimate demands.

The protesters have also demanded that police immediately release the arrested persons, who, according to them, include 50 male teachers and four female teachers.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2019.