Fund-raising match: Teachers decry ticket money deduction

Govt claims no institution forced <br /> to buy tickets.

RAWALPINDI: The provincial authorities have deducted Rs500 each from the salaries of teachers of all government colleges in Rawalpindi for a charity cricket match that was scheduled to be held on Friday night.

An official of the education department, requesting anonymity, said all gazetted staff of the 110 government colleges in Rawalpindi division was informed that each employee will have to pay Rs500 for the ticket. The match aims to raise funds for the internally displaced persons (IDP) of North Waziristan.

In addition, the administration has also demanded Rs20,000 from every college and has deducted a day’s salary of all the staff, the official claimed.

He said that directors of colleges were given tickets worth Rs1,200,000 to sell them on to the colleges. “It’s a noble cause, but we resent the decision because we are being forced to donate,” he said.

A lecturer of a government college, who also requested anonymity, said the administration has directed all the teachers to reach the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium by 8pm Friday. He said he was informed that the money for the ticket had been deducted from his salary.

A high school teacher claimed every high school has been asked to collect Rs10,000, while middle and primary schools will have to pay Rs5,000 and Rs3,000 each, respectively.

A spokesperson of the district administration, however, said no school or college has been forced to buy the tickets.

He added that donors and philanthropists who donated funds have been provided tickets while owners of some private schools and college have also donated funds with their consent.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2014.