April 5, 2003	Saturday	Safar 2, 1424

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RAWALPINDI, April 4: Punjab Teachers Union (PTU) has called for end to what it termed the discriminatory treatment being meted out to them and urged that they should also be treated on a par with the federal government teachers.

Talking to the media persons here on Friday, Raja Zafeer Ahmad Satti, Central President PTU, said the discriminatory policies of the provincial government had divided the teaching community into two groups - one having all facilities; the other having none.

He said the primary and middle school teachers in the federal government institutions enjoyed grade 9 and 14 respectively, while the same category of teachers was serving in grade 7 and 9 in Punjab. He said the union had informed the authorities concerned of the multiple problems of the teachers but it cut no ice with them.

The union leaders demanded house rent in accordance with the new scales, promotion, move-overs and restoration of selection grades, charge allowance for the primary, middle, high and higher secondary schools teachers equal to their grade, regularisation of services of all the teachers appointed on contract basis, scholarships for teachers children from the welfare fund; benefits of pension and gratuity to the heirs of all those teachers who die during service, end to privatisation of educational institutions and formation of boards of governors in the educational institutions.

The PTU leaders warned they would launch a protest movement from April 9 if their genuine demands were not met.