Teachers, staff of universities continue protest on 2nd day

PESHAWAR: The teaching fraternity and other employees of different universities Tuesday continued their protest against police torture on protesting teachers and all academic and non-academic activities in public sector universities remained suspended to press the government for acceptance of their demands.

A protest sit-in was also staged at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Chowk which was attended by thousands of universities’ employees. Sit-in was led by office bearers of teacher associations. Peshawar University Teachers Association (PUTA) president Dr Fazle Nasir was also there to lead the protest.

The speakers, on the occasion, expressed their anger against the provincial government and the police for beating and humiliating the university professors. They reiterated that their protest campaign and boycott of duties would continue till the acceptance of all their demands.

Repeating their demands, the protesting employees said that the government should immediately establish a higher education commission at the provincial level. They said that substantial increases should be made in the budget for higher education.

Hike in students’ fee should be withdrawn. The unjust letter of the higher education department seeking cut in pays and allowances of university employees should be taken back, they stressed.

The police and other officials involved in the torture against teachers should be taken to task. The false first investigation reports against the protesting employees should be quashed, they further demanded.

They also came down hard on the vice-chancellor of University of Peshawar and demanded of the government to remove him from the prestigious office forthwith. They also took strong exception to the insulting remarks of special assistant to chief minister on higher education Kamran Bangash and urged the government to take action against him.