Teachers announce academic boycott

LAHORE: On its sixth day of protest against the provincial government for, what it said, ignoring the plight of the college teachers, Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association (PPLA) has announced academic boycott in the public colleges from Monday (today).

The PPLA has been staging a sit-in against the Punjab government on The Mall near the Punjab Assembly since March 26. The major demands of the teachers include implementation of rapid promotions, pay protection and five-tier promotion formula as being followed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The Higher Education Department (HED), Punjab, claims to have agreed to PPLA demands but the teachers have been continued their protest owing to not written assurance. Now the teachers have warned of academic boycott from 10:00am onwards across all public colleges in the province from Monday (today).

Meanwhile, dozens of college teachers participated in the sit-in on Sunday and strongly criticised the Punjab government for ignoring their genuine demands. PU launches excavation: Punjab University’s Department of Archaeology in collaboration with Punjab Department of Archaeology has launched its first systematic excavation at Shorkot Mound in Jhang district.

According to a press release, the archaeological site has unique significance in the cultural history of ancient Punjab. A Punjab University team under the supervision of Faculty of Arts and Humanities Dean Professor Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Chawla is currently engaged in an extensive archaeological excavation operation. The team is led by Dr Muhammad Hameed and accompanied by experts, technical staff and students from Department of Archaeology.

The purpose of this scientific field study is to determine chronological sequence of cultural development at the ancient site which may result in establishing a link with other important sites located in the region between the River Chenab and River Ravi. Another objective of the excavation is to propose a plan to the authorities concerned to develop the site as a cultural tourism point which would be the first of its kind in the region.