‘You’re dismissed’: Teachers from Gilgit protest in biting cold

Diamer Valley wheat depot shut down in objection to ‘artificial wheat crisis’ in G-B.

GILGIT: Nearly 183 teachers, who were earlier fired, spent Monday night at a protest camp at Ittehad chowk outside the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Education Directorate in sub-zero temperature to press the government for reinstating them.

“We are not going to leave this place until we get written orders restoring our jobs,” said Rizwan Ali, a teacher, on Tuesday. Ali is spearheading the movement. The protesting teachers appointed over the past five to six years were sacked in March after a departmental inquiry which found their appointment to be illegal. They were restored on a court’s orders but only for a short period of time.

The protest began on Monday afternoon and continued throughout the night, with speakers flaying the government for its decision which resulted in the loss of income to several families.

Female teachers also participated in the protest and their camp was set up at Ittehad Chowk. However, they retired to their homes at night.

However, the authorities seem unmoved by the teachers’ protests. During the Pakistan Peoples Party’s foundation day celebrations, Adviser on Forests and Wildlife Aftab Haider said the government would not bow down to any pressure tactics. However, G-B Chief Minister Mehdi Shah has assigned one of his advisers the task of negotiating with the educationists.

The demonstrations began in November after another inquiry also ruled against the teachers.

Wheat shortage

Meanwhile, in protest against the continuing wheat shortage in G-B, angry demonstrators locked down the main wheat depot in Chilas town, Diamer Valley on Monday.

The protesters accused G-B food department officials of corruption and claimed “an artificial crisis had been triggered by certain elements to make a profit”.

Wheat grain has not been available in the market for over a month but authorities remain silent over the issue, complained the protesters.

Earlier this week, residents of Diamer Valley took up the issue with G-B’s chief secretary and force commander while they were visiting the area to attend a sports gala.

Politician and social worker Inayatullah Shumali read out a charter of demands highlighting the scarcity of wheat. “One of our main demands is to increase the wheat quota for the valley,” Shumali had said at the end of the festival. The officials assured the people the issue would be resolved soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th, 2013.