Punjab teachers hold protest demo outside Banigala

ISLAMABAD: The police have arrested 44 teachers, including a lady teacher, after showering teargas shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse mob of contract teachers of Punjab Secondary Schools, who gathered in front of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s residence at Banigala Saturday to register their protest against the Punjab government.

As many as seven teachers sustained minor and serious injuries during the lathi-charge and teargas shelling, who were shifted to hospitals where, later on, discharged after getting medical aid, the hospital sources said.

Well before the arrival of the teachers and staff of ad hoc/contract employees of the Punjab Secondary Schools, heavy contingents of the police and other law enforcement agencies including Rangers sealed Bani Gala by placing weighty blocks and barriers to keep the protesting teachers away from the residence of the prime minister, but the angry protesters entered the ‘no go’ areas around the PM House and started protesting against the behaviour of the government against the contract employees. But the police force and other law enforcement agencies retaliated and opened teargas shelling and resorted to baton-charge. The angry protesters reacted and rushed into the prohibited area that converted in the clash between the police and protesting teachers. Consequently, the police arrested 14 teachers, involved in the protest demonstration to seek their rights.

The protesting employees of Punjab Secondary Schools, later, moved towards Murree Road and blocked it. The sit-in continued till the filing of this report.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat has initiated negotiation with the protesting people to settle the issue. But the protesting teachers refused to hold talks. Heavy police contingents, however, have been deputed outside the residence of Prime Minister Imran Khan in Bani Gala.

However, the teachers said that they would not go back unless their demands are met. “We are here for our rights as no one is hearing to our grievances,” said the teacher’s leadership. "The government must declare us permanent on our seats," teacher Naseer said.

Last week, the teachers had announced to take out rally and hold protest outside the residence of Prime Minister Imran Khan in Bani Gala.

All roads leading to Bani Gala were blocked, while due to the protest, there was a severe traffic jam on Islamabad-Murree Road and long queues of vehicles were formed, leaving people helplessly stranded on the road.

The teachers demanded that 11,000 contract teachers be made permanent. They chanted slogans for acceptance of their demands and vowed that their protest would continue and they would stage sit-in, having no other option for fulfillment of their demands. They decried the use of force by the police, who resorted to shelling to disperse them.

It was learnt that teachers were being detained for interfering in the affairs of the government and violating the coronavirus-related SOPs. Talks between government and protesters were continued here in Rawalpindi Division Commissioner Office. Talks were not finalised till the filing of this report.

On the other hand, Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas, in a statement, alleged that PML-N has sent these protesters in Islamabad to create law and order situation.