October 6, 2002	Sunday	Rajab 28, 1423

PESHAWAR, Oct 5: The Peshawar University Teachers Association (PUTA) has urged the government not to promulgate the proposed model university ordinance, warning that the proposed law would create controversies and convert the education institutions into corporate bodies.

Speaking at the Peshawar Press Club’s “Guest Hour” programme on Saturday, the PUTA President, Prof Nasser Ali Khan, asked President Pervez Musharraf to leave the decision about the proposed piece of law to the next government.

Flanked by representatives of other public sector universities teaching associations and Sarhad College Teachers Association, Prof Nasser Ali termed the proposed act a web of ambiguities, uncertainties and a part of the World Bank agenda.

He said: “Teachers have no intention to challenge the state authority. Let the new parliament take a final decision about the act.”

He said the government should make public the document before its implementation.

The PUTA chief proposed constitution of a judicial commission, headed by a senior judge of high court or Supreme Court to review the proposed law and take into consideration the teacher’s associations point of view. He said at present four different versions of the proposed ordinance were in circulation which created unrest among the teacher community.

Prof Nasser Ali said under the United Nations charter, teachers had the right to form associations, but in the proposed ordinance they had been deprived of their basic right. He said October 5 was being observed as teachers day around the global, while in Pakistan teachers were holding protest rallies and demonstrations for their rights and subjected to batoncharge.

Prof Nasser said academic associations wanted to bring reforms in 1974 University Act, but only an elected body should have the authority to introduce reforms.

He said the proposed law did not offer any sustainable structure and failed to define the responsibilities, rights and privileges of university teachers. He said under the act representation had been given to irrelevant people in senate and syndicate.

About future line of action, Prof Nasser said the joint action committee, comprising various associations of colleges and universities in the province, had decided to begin boycott of classes in schools, colleges and universities from Oct 14. The teaching staff would boycott their classes two days a week — Monday and Thursday.

He strongly condemned the police baton-charge on teachers in Karachi University and demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident.

Meanwhile, the Sarhad College Teachers Association has opposed the privatization of education institutions and health centres and rejected contract policy of the government.