HYDERABAD, June 21: The Government Secondary Teachers Association, district chapter, on Monday called off hunger strike which was to be observed on Tuesday (today) following negotiations with the DCO, district accounts officer and EDO education on the issue of "difference bills".

Earlier, the secondary teachers of different talukas took out a procession from the government high school-1 and staged a sit- in outside the office of the district accounts officer in protest against the non-payment of "difference bills".

Speaking on the occasion, GSTA district president Safar Memon said that secondary teachers for the last one year were running from pillar to post for the payment of "difference bills" but the same were not passed by the officials.

He said that this was inspite of the fact that the Sindh finance department had already approved the budget. He said that teachers had been forced to resort to protest as budgetary allocations would lapse on June 30 due to the negative attitude of officials.

Taking notice of the protest, the DCO Hyderabad called GSTA representatives in his office for negotiations. District accounts officer Zulfiqar Shah, additional accounts officer Sharif Leghari, acting EDO education Iqbal Memon were present in the meeting.

The teachers were assured that after the security of bills district accounts officer would start the process of clearing the bills from Tuesday. On this assurance, GSTA called off its scheduled hunger strike.