TIMERGARA, July 3: More than 150 female teachers of primary schools have refused to accept promotion owing to their posting in far flung areas of Lower Dir.

According to an official letter issued by the district education officer, Sabira Parveen, on June 29, a total of 420 female teachers were promoted to grade 15 as head teachers of primary schools following enforcement of the promotion policy of the previous government.

Out of the 420 teachers, 207 were adjusted in the schools they were already serving in while 63 were posted on vacant posts in other areas. Around 150 teachers were transferred to far flung areas of the district.

However, 150 teachers refused to accept their promotion owing to their adjustment in far flung areas of the district.

Talking to local journalists here, female teachers including Taskin Begum, Nargis Begum, Fazilat Begum and Ruqqia said that they had been performing duty away from their native union councils for the last three years.

“Now we have been posted in more remote areas. It will be difficult for us to continue our service,” they said, adding they had no option but to refuse the promotion.

The government, they said, should give them personal scale of BPS-15 instead of promotion. The primary school teacher (PST) cadre was divided into three different categories as some teachers were working in BPS-12, some in BPS-14 and some in BPS-15, they added.

The teachers said that they had to suffer owing to the flawed policy of the previous government. “We have attached great expectations with PTI-led provincial government and thought it would reformulate a just policy for our promotion,” said Ms Nargis, demanding of the government to allow them working at their present stations.

PROMOTION: In violation of clear directives by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, 11 police inspectors and five DSPs have been working on higher posts on shoulder promotion in Malakand division, sources say.

They said that 11 inspectors were working against as deputy superintendents of police while five deputy superintendents of police were occupying the posts of superintendents of police in different parts of Malakand division.

The inspectors working as DSPs included Mohammad Wahid, Ghulam Ahad, Sher Zada in Dir Lower, Mohammad Ayub and Gul Noor in Dir Upper, Ghulam Mohammad, Habibul Haq and Mohammad Saddique in Buner, Bakht-i-Raj and Sanobar in Shangla and Noor Faraz in Matta, Swat, sources said.—Haleem Asad