LAHORE: Protesting teachers in Peshawar and Karachi were lathi-charged, teargas shelled, and water cannons used by the police. Many teachers have been arrested, and cases have been registered in both cities.
On Thursday, the police lathi-charged and fired teargas shells at protesting teachers on GT Road in Peshawar. These teachers were protesting in front of the Directorate of Education on GT Road for the demand of scale upgradation.
During the protest, the police started baton-charging the protesters and shelling them with tear gas, due to which the teachers dispersed. The police have arrested several teachers and registered a case.
The protesters said that peaceful protest is not allowed, which is a violation of the constitution and law. Instead of accepting the demands of the teachers and solving the problems, they are being subjected to coercion and violence.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Karachi Police foiled an attempt by the teachers to go to the Chief Minister’s House to protest. Dozens of teachers were arrested with water cannons and batons.
All Sindh Primary Teachers Association Karachi Division protested in front of the press club against non-payment of allowance and non-permanent employment. Later, the protesters entered the red zone and advanced towards the Chief Minister’s House, where the police tried to stop them, but the protesters continued to advance.
The police used water cannons and lathicharge to stop the teachers from proceeding. Meanwhile, dozens of teachers were detained.
Later, the teachers made another attempt to go towards the Chief Minister’s House, but the police foiled the attempt by baton charging the protestors.
The teachers’ organisation claimed that more than 150 protesters were in police custody. The teachers said that the long-standing demands of primary teachers in Sindh should be accepted. “We are being treated unfairly. The police resorted to violence, while we came to get our legitimate demands met”. The teachers said that they were assured to approve the demands in 2021, which have not been implemented yet.Teachers are being forced to retire.
The association demanded that all teachers be made permanent and that senior teachers be given grade 17 and a service structure. “The teachers said that we would continue to protest until our demands were accepted” said one of the protesting teachers. On this occasion, the protestors also demanded the release of the arrested teachers.