16 October 2004	Saturday	01 Ramazan 1425

KARACHI, Oct 15: Teaching activities remained suspended at city colleges on Friday after teachers observed a strike in protest to police hostilities, and the provincial government's indifferent attitude towards their problems and demands.

After the humiliation and arrest of teachers at the hands of the police, the Sindh Professors and Lecturers' Association on Thursday announced that teachers throughout the province would put off their academic duties on October 15 and 16.

Talking to Dawn, the SPLA chief, Prof Riaz Ahsan, said the strike remained successful not only in the city colleges but in colleges in other parts of the province as well.

"We haven't seen any remedial measures in the case of teachers and since the government's apathy continues, teachers will continue their strike on Saturday as well," he added. Classes could not be held during the day. While teachers held protest meetings, condemning Thursday's police action.

It was resolved at meetings held at colleges that the TPO of Saddar Town be removed for police's misbehaviour with male and female teachers, while an impartial enquiry be instituted into the incidence. The meeting also demanded the Sindh government to issue necessary notifications on matters already agreed between the SPLA and the government.

A college principal said that enraged teachers remained unconcerned about classes since morning, and he too did not pressurize them for the same, as he himself believed that what the police did with teachers was shameful.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the SPLA office bearers was held at D.J. Science College, with Prof Riaz Ahsan in the chair, to review the situation.

The meeting was of the opinion that the education minister could also be blamed for the highhandedness of the police, as she never showed seriousness in getting the long-pending issues of teachers resolved, eventually compelling teachers to take to streets.

It was noted at the meeting, that the education minister, despite promises she made with teachers on September 15, never bothered to take practical measures. The meeting also demanded the removal of TPO Saddar town.

Expressing sympathy with college teachers, the president and general secretary of the College Principals Association, demanded of the government that the problems of college teachers be resolved immediately while taking them into confidence.

Prof M.S.K. Lodhi and Prof Aniz Zaidi, the president and general secretary of the association, respectively, said what happened with teachers on Thursday should have been averted. However, they lauded the Sindh education secretary and commended his efforts for getting the teachers released from police custody.

Another meeting of the SPLA would be held on October 18 to decide a further line of action. The teachers' body charter of demands called for maintenance of present status of the St Joseph's College for Women and St Patrick's College and not to denationalize them; promotions against 507 upgraded posts under the four-tier formula; promotions against posts lying vacant due to retirement and deaths; or promotions, move-overs from grade 17 to 18, 18 to 19 and from 19 to 20.

The SPLA also demanded appointment of teachers on a permanent basis on 1,500 posts of lecturers lying vacant throughout the province. It demanded that more than 1,000 posts of non-teaching staff, lying vacant, be filled on priority.