KARACHI, March 12: Dawood College of Engineering and Technology (DCET) administration on Saturday sent six more non-teaching employees on “forced leave” of two months, allegedly on their protest against maltreatment by the DCET administration and proposed privatization.

The DCET administration had also sent a non-teaching employee, Noor Mohammad Baloch, on forced leave yesterday, for his alleged involvement in politics and his “threatening” behaviour towards the college administration.

Those who were sent on forced leave of two months today were Ishaque Baloch, Akram, Farid, Majeed Bhatti, Sikander and Iqbal Memon.

A non-teaching employee of the college told on condition of anonymity that the DCET non-teaching employees observed a token strike on Saturday morning after college administration handed over an employee, Noor Mohammad Baloch to police, when he tried to enter the college.

“Yesterday, Noor Mohammad Baloch was pushed out of the college by the Rangers on orders of the principal and today when he tried to enter into the college, he was handed over to Jamshed Quarters police” he informed.

According to him, all non-teaching employees went to PS Jamshed Quarters in the form of a procession and held a sit-in outside the police station, compelling the police to release their colleague.

Later, all non-teaching employees of the college observed token strike at DCET and did not touch their work for some time, he added.

When asked about cause of their protest, he alleged that non-teaching employees were being maltreated by the administration, especially college Principal Saleem Chaudhry, who often uses derogatory language against them.

A spokesman for the DCET, Mushtaq A Shaikh confirmed the reports of sending seven non-teaching employees of the college on forced leave, however refused to give the details of charges against them.

He also denied manhandling of a non-teaching employee of the college, Noor Mohammad Baloch by the Rangers deployed at the college on Friday, saying he was simply asked by the Rangers to leave the college as his entry into the DCET was prohibited on the orders of the college principal.—PPI