Teachers to be regularised in a month, says CS

Protest called off after successful talks with govt


​ Our Correspondent December 31, 2019

KARACHI: The protesting teachers who had been camping outside the Karachi Press Club since December 9 called off their demonstration after successful talks with senior officials in the provincial government.

Over 2,000 teachers from different parts of the province continued their sit-in on Monday, warning authorities to regularise their employment or they would march towards the Chief Minister House.

Dozens of policemen surrounded the protestors with water cannons in order to stop them from proceeding to the red zone. Meanwhile, a delegation of teachers held talks with Sindh government officials, led by Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah. The talks continued for about two hours.

"We have been assured that all the teachers will be regularised in a month," said Haji Shafi Sathio, a member of the delegation. "If our issues are not addressed as they said in the meeting, we will once again stage a protest at the same place."

On the directives of the chief secretary, five divisional committees have been formed for the scrutiny of the teachers to be regularised.

IN PROTEST: Teachers demanding regularisation continue protest for third day

"I hope the issue will be resolved within a few weeks," said Sathio, optimistic about the divisional committees. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Sathio said that there were around 8,000 teachers who had been working with the Sindh education department for years. "Regularisation is our basic right. We are all united to demand our right, and if delay tactics continue, we will return to Karachi," he warned.

Baboo Laghari, another teacher who took part in the protest, said all of the assembled teachers had dispersed peacefully after successful talks. "We were ready to march towards CM House, but the government has accepted our demands so there is no reason to continue our protest," he explained.

The teachers, who have been protesting for this one demand for the past several months, were beaten by the police on September 16 and then again on December 9, and yet again on December 20. Several of the protesters were also arrested and then released on the directives of the provincial government. The issue was also discussed at length during the Sindh Assembly session on December 11, with opposition members taking exception to the use of force against teachers.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2019.

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