KOHAT: Female teachers took to the streets on Tuesday, demanding withdrawal of an FIR registered against their colleagues and exemption from polio vaccination duty.

The protesters led by All Government Primary School Association president Ms Nabeela and Ms Farhat Bibi blocked the main artery of Kohat city to traffic and raised slogans in favour of their demands.

The speakers on this occasion said that the case was registered against 11 female teachers who did not turn up for the polio vaccination duty and subsequently the deputy commissioner ordered deduction of their salaries. They said that the FIR against the teachers should be withdrawn forthwith and the female teachers exempted from polio duty in future.

“Our job is to teach the children, but we are forced to perform the polio vaccination duty,” one of speakers said.

Later, MPA Ziaullah Bangash held talks with the protesting teachers and asked them to send their representatives to accompany him to meet the deputy commissioner. The MPA and teachers’ representatives held a meeting with deputy commissioner Kamran Afridi and apprised him of their grievances. The DC told them that they had to perform this duty due to the seriousness of the problem.

He said that the teachers must report on their duties and in case of any problem they should inform their respective in-charge so that alternative arrangement could be made.

However, the deputy commissioner accepted their demand and conditionally ordered withdrawal of the FIR against the teachers.

TWO IDPS HELD: The Kohat city police arrested two internally displaced persons (IDPs) belonging to Orakzai Agency on Tuesday for allegedly committing a theft in a general store on Jarwanda road.

Owner of the grocery shop Mufti Afzal reported to the city police station that thieves had taken away valuables from the store after breaking open its locks.

The store owner also belonged to Ghiljo area of Orakzai Agency, the police said.

The investigation team arrested several suspicious persons for interrogation and at last identified the alleged thieves Mohammad Nasir and Lal Haider,who are brothers hailing from Orakzai Agency.

They were living in a rented house in Shino Khel in the city and during search of the house the police found the stolen items which included two mobile phones, a stabilizer, bags of sugar and washing powder besides Rs15,000 cash. The police have registered a case against them.

Published in Dawn March 25th , 2015

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