HYDERABAD, Sept 5: The Mehran University Teachers Association (MUTA) on Wednesday observed ‘black day’ in protest against what it termed as illegal interference by the Higher Education Commission in the universities’ affairs.

The protesting teachers who wore black armbands and hoisted black flags on buildings demanded that the HEC should refrain from interfering in the universities’ affairs and stop what they called a policy of blackmailing through threats of cuts in or freeze on funds.

They demanded upgradation of all the university teachers including non-PhD professors and associate professors and called for an end to the appointment of retired generals or bureaucrats to the office of vice chancellor.

They said that the association would observe a two-hour pen down strike on Wednesday next week.