Police action against protesters: Universities employees go on pen-down strike

PESHAWAR: The teachers and employees of the public sector universities have announced a pen-down strike in all universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from today (Tuesday) to protest against the lathi charge and teargas shelling on the protestors.

Speaking at a news conference here on Monday, Peshawar University Teachers Association (Puta) President Dr Fazal Nasir and others demanded immediate release of all the arrested employees. He demanded expulsion of Dr Attaur Rahman from the Academic and Search Committee.

The Puta chief asked the government to establish provincial Higher Education Commission as was done by Punjab and Sindh and withdraw the notification about cut in the salaries and pensions.

Dr Fazal Nasir asked the provincial government to stop the alleged meddling in the internal affairs of the universities. He warned to expand the protest if their demands were not accepted.

He said the varsities staff had been protesting for the last five days and had come to record the protest outside the KP Assembly building for the acceptance of their demands. He accused the KP police of using force against them.

Condemning arrest of the office-bearers of Puta, Dr Shah Alam termed the alleged violence against teachers injustice and a blunder on the part of the government. He asked the government to release arrested employees or else they would expand the protest.

Meanwhile, the activists of Islami Jamiat Talba (IJT) staged a demonstration outside the Peshawar Press Club to condemn police action on the peaceful demonstrators outside the provincial assembly.

Led by Tahirullah and others, the protesters were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of the teachers and universities employees and against the government. The speakers demanded steps to pull universities out of the existing crisis, condemning the police action against teachers and other employees.