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LAHORE, Dec 11: Students, teachers, doctors and political workers on Wednesday held demonstration at Charing Cross on The Mall to protest against the constitution of boards of governors in educational institutions and hospitals and Model University Ordinance.
However, they cancelled their sit-in outside the Punjab Assembly when the SSP (operations) extended them the chief minister’s invitation. The CM invited the Joint Action Committee on Friday to discuss its demands.
The JAC leaders warned that they would take to streets and court arrests from Dec 18 throughout the province if the CM did not accept their demands.
Talks between the chief secretary and the JAC leaders on Tuesday had already failed.
Qazi Husain Ahmad, Saad Rafiq, Liaquat Baloch, Farid Piracha, Fakhar Zaman, Aitzaz Ahsan, Farooq Tariq and many other politicians who had given their commitment to the JAC for joining their arrest drive during the Wednesday’s rally did not turn up.
Those who participated in the demonstration included PPP leaders Qasim Zia, Naveed Chaudhry, Sajida Mir, Lahore High Court Bar Association chief Shahid Mahmood Bhatti, Allama Hameeduddin Mashriqi and activists of various students organizations.
Heavy contingents of riot police were deployed at all entrances to The Mall and outside the Punjab Assembly. Women police and plainclothesmen were also deployed there.
Traffic police headed by its SSP remained busy in clearing traffic jams. Traffic remained suspended for about half-an-hour when some enthusiastic students blocked the road. They were later calmed down by the JAC leaders.
Holding banners bearing inscription against the BoGs, MUO, TEVTA Ordinance and victimization of teachers and doctors, the protesters were chanting slogans against the government for testing their patience for the last six months. They were also raising slogans against President Gen Musharraf for dictating newly-elected government on the MUO.
HASNAIN SPEAKS: Speaking on the occasion JAC chairman Nazim Hasnain suggested the chief-minister to win people’s hearts by withdrawing the BoGs, MUO and reinstating the sacked teachers. He said the JAC would not hold talks with the CM in the presence of bureaucrats.
Mr Hasnain said they would not let anyone to succeed in implementing the World Bank and IMF agenda on masses. He also condemned the arrest of JAC leader Rana Arshad. The SSP (operations), however, denied his arrest.
Qasim Zia said the issue should be resolved through peaceful means. He said the democracy was surviving under dictatorship and to restore full democracy politicians would have to act sensibly.
Prof Dr Haris Rashid, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Allama Mashriqi and Naveed Anwar also spoke on the occasion.
Meanwhile, teachers and students across the province also boycotted classes on Wednesday from 10:30am and brought out protest rallies.
APP ADDS: A delegation of elected members of provincial and national assemblies of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) called on the chief minister and supported the JAC demands.
The delegation suggested that the government, instead of thrusting its decisions on education and health sectors, should discuss its policies in parliament.
Liaquat Baloch led the delegation which included Farid Piracha, Hafiz Suleman Butt, Syed Ahsan Ullah Waqas and Chaudhry Shaukat.
The delegation also demanded withdrawal of suspension orders of the teachers and doctors for their activities for collective cause of their community.
Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi assured the delegation that all the issues would be resolved sympathetically in his meeting with the action committee of doctors and teachers on Friday.
