Protest for salaries: Unpaid Punjab teachers win court battle

CJ chides govt for “abdicating its responsibility” of paying salaries.

ISLAMABAD:

Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Tuesday chided the government for “abdicating its responsibility” of paying salaries to those employed by the state, including teachers, lady health workers and railway employees.

He was hearing a suo motu case on non-payment of salaries to teachers of Punjab Colleges Pilot Project. The chief justice directed the Punjab government to pay six months’ outstanding salary within 24 hours.

Additional Advocate General (AAG) Punjab, Jawad Hassan said the government had approved the conversion of two years graduation to four years. “Initially, 26 colleges were selected for awarding a four-year graduate degree and they were asked to constitute a board. But college teachers obtained a stay order on the project‘s implementation from the high court.”

“Are they being punished for (obtaining) the stay order?” the CJP asked. Presiding over a three-member bench comprising Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Pervez, the CJP said teachers deserve the greatest respect. He asked the AAG to disclose the names of the officers who had withheld their salaries. He said the court would suspend them and send them behind bars.

“You will feel their pain when your salary is withheld; railway employees are protesting for their salaries as are lady health workers.”

He remarked that it is beyond comprehension why the state has abdicated its responsibility. Later, Punjab’s secretary finance informed the court that funds were released on court orders for payment of salaries to college teachers. The case was adjourned.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2011.