Protests across Sindh call for issuing joining letters to music teachers

On the call of the All Sindh Sangeetkar Association (ASSA), protests were held in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Ghotki, Shikarpur and other parts of the province against music teachers not being issued joining letters.

During the demonstrations, ASSA association recorded their protest by singing songs and demanded justice from the Sindh government and the Sindh High Court.

Speaking at a protest outside the Karachi Press Club, ASSA Chairman Ustad Abdul Ghafur Soomro said it was the government's responsibility to issue appointment orders to music teachers who had been selected on merit. He warned that if their demands were not met, the scope of their protests would increase, and the association might approach the courts since they had proof of the selection of music teachers.

Kashif Siddiqui, general secretary of the association, explained that 319 music teachers selected on merit had not been given joining orders.

Participants in the protest, including artists and members of civil society, said that on the one hand, the Pakistan Peoples Party talked about the prosperity of the people of Sindh, but on the other hand, it seemed unable to ensure jobs for the 319 music teachers, whose appointment process was initiated during the previous government.

Other central leaders of the ASSA said that their organisation was the largest organisation in Sindh fighting for the rights of artists since 1994. They termed the government’s failure to issue joining letters economic exploitation of artists.

The protesters appealed to Sindh Culture and Tourism Minister Syed Zulfiqar Shah to help keep alive the music culture of Sindh by issuing appointment letters to the selected teachers.