Reallocation policy: Meeting between teachers’ union, education secretary postponed

Officials say political situation in Lahore forced cancellation, to meet on Aug 18

RAWALPINDI: A meeting of the teacher’s union representative and the Punjab education secretary over the reallocation policy has been cancelled due to the prevailing political tension in the country.

The provincial education department had invited representatives of schoolteachers on August 11 to discuss teachers’ reservations over the reallocation policy.

The Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench had directed the provincial government to revise the policy in two weeks after suspending it on July 15.

The teachers’ union representatives and Punjab Education Department Secretary Abdul Jabbar Shareen were to meet in this connection on Monday. However, the meeting could not be arranged due to the ongoing political turmoil between the Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) and Punjab government in Lahore.

Punjab Teachers Union President Raja Shahid Mubarik told The Express Tribune the government had sealed several major roads in Lahore to prevent PAT workers from gathering on Sunday. He said it was not possible to attend the meeting under this kind of atmosphere.

He added that now the meeting would be on held on August 18.

Education Executive District Officer  Qazi Zahoor told The Express Tribune the decision to cancel the meeting was taken due to the chaotic situation in the country. He said it was not possible for most participants to attend the meeting due to the situation in Lahore. He confirmed that the meeting would now be held on August 18.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th,2014.