RAWALPINDI, Oct 28: Students took to the streets and teachers boycotted classes on Monday in protest against the proposed educational reforms.

About 300 students gathered in front of Gordon College and marched on Murree Road, blocking Liaquat Road for more than half an hour.

The demonstration was organized by the Islami Jamiat-i- Talaba (IJT). However, students of other groups including Muslim Students Federation, Peoples Students Federation and Anjuman-i-Talaba Islam also joined in the protest.

They raised slogans against the government and its boards of governors and carried banners and placards inscribed with slogans against educational reforms. The boycott of classes will also be held on Thursday if the proposed educational reforms are not withdrawn.

“Students and teachers have united against the formation of the so-called boards of governors. Educational institutions will in no case be left at the mercy of traders and retired army generals. The government plans to establish the worst form of dictatorship in schools and colleges while abolishing the representation of students and teachers,” said IJT College Nazim Irfan Afridi.

Others who spoke on the occasion include Rana Assadullah, Khawaja Shehzad, Maqbool Ahmad Khan, Javed Ahmad and Abdul Wadood.