LAHORE, April 25: The school and college teachers are all set to observe academic boycott all over Punjab and hold a rally in Lahore to protest against the government’s ever-changing education policies as well as its failure to meet teachers’ longstanding demands.

The teachers from all over Punjab have joined hands under the banner of the Muttahida Mahaz Asatza Pakistan (MMAP), Punjab chapter. Besides observing academic boycott, the MMAP has decided to hold a protest rally from Data Darbar to Punjab Assembly Hall at 10am on Thursday (today).

The protest rally will be led by MMAP, Punjab, chairman Hafiz Abdul Nasir, Jamil Ahmad Virk, Raja Zafeer Ahmad Satti, Taj Haider and others.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Nasir said a large number of teachers had reached Lahore to participate in the protest rally. He said the teachers were ready to face any consequences while holding the rally because they were highly frustrated owing to the government’s failure to meet their longstanding genuine demands.

Mr Nasir said the teachers were protesting for issuance of notification regarding teaching allowance, denationalisation of educational institutions, abolition of recruitment of teachers on a contract basis, political and NGOs’ interference in educational institutions, and ever-changing policies.

He said the government representatives had offered him to hold negotiations with the principal secretary to the chief minister or meet the chief minister. He said the MMAP had declined the offer saying that the government knew about each and every demand of the teachers and there was no use of holding another meeting.

Mr Nasir said he had, however, offered them to hold a meeting, if the chief minister would get a notification issued for the payment of teaching allowance to teachers. The teachers would hold a protest peace rally and reach the Punjab Assembly to register their protest.