KARACHI: City Council rejects ban on teachers’ associations
By Latif Baloch
KARACHI, Sept 18: A rare show of unity was witnessed in the City Council session here on Monday when the treasury and opposition benches strongly opposed the provincial government’s action of imposing a ban on teachers’ associations and described the move ‘unconstitutional’.
They also deplored the coercive methods adopted by the authorities concerned to suppress the protest against the ban by teacher community, and demanded removal of the provincial education minister Dr Hamida Khuhro.
Barring two women members, belonging to the PML-Q, the entire house opposed the ban, indicating that no such ban had been imposed by any other provincial government.
A resolution adopted by the house, maintained that the Constitution recognised citizens’ right to form an association at their free will. Therefore, it said, the ban on forming an association or participating in its activities stood illegal and unconstitutional.
Expressing solidarity with the teacher community, the house held that teachers were a very important segment of the society and if the image of teachers was tarnished, the society would stop making progress.
The City Council slammed the brutal use of force by police against protesting teachers, when they stated demonstrations in different parts of the city. It noted that many of the protesters had sustained injuries while many others were sacked or facing trials after being arrested.
Condemning all such actions, the house demanded action against all those policemen who had subjected the peaceful protesters to violent action.
The council also urged the government to stop targeting the protesting teachers and taking disciplinary action, including sacking, against them.
Earlier, when the house started the day’s proceedings, with Naib City Nazim Nasreen Jalil in the chair, opposition leader Saeed Ghani tabled a resolution on the issue. Some treasury members proposed amendment to this resolution which was not opposed and the house accepted it for discussion.
Leader of the house Asif Siddiqui, senior presiding officer Masood Mehmood, Sheikh Mehboob Rehman, Juman Darwan, Ramzan Awan, Rafique Ahmed, Rafiq Baloch, Mohammad Ismail Khan, Sarwat Arif and Ishrat Jehan, and several other members from both the sides, besides Mr Ghani, took part in the debate.
They condemned the government’s policy towards teacher community, saying that in all civilised countries, teachers commanded great respect, but the provincial authorities had no respect for them.
They described suppression of teachers’ protest by police and other law-enforcement agencies as ‘shameful’, and said that the government must take appropriate measures to restore their prestige and rebuild their image.
Asif Siddiqui and Masood Mehmood from treasury benches appeared categorical in slamming the police action, saying that there could not be two opinions about the harsh treatment meted out to the teachers. It was a shameful act and could in no way be justified, they added.
They urged the government to lift the ban on teachers’ associations and replace the education minister, besides taking stern action against those responsible for the coercive methods adopted to suppress the protests against the ban.
The two PML-Q members, Shagufta Jehanzeb and Zaibunnisa, who did not support the resolution, told Dawn later that they did so in order to avoid violation of their party’s policy.
