TIMERGARA: Hundreds of citizens participated in a demonstration staged in Maidan area here on Sunday by the Pakistan Zindabad Movement in favour of the army and other state institutions.

The protesters, including traders, youth and political activists, shouted slogans in favour of the army and against the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM). They were also carrying national flags, banners and placards inscribed with slogans in support of the security forces.

On the occasion, the protesters’ leaders said the army had been rendering sacrifices for protecting the country against its enemies and maintaining peace, and stressed that it was high time for the nation to get united against all nefarious designs.

They said Pakhtuns, Punjabis, Sindhis, Balochis and Kashmiris were brothers, but the enemies of Pakistan wanted to create ethnic and regional rifts among the countrymen.

Also on Sunday, the Wardak tribe of Pakhtuns vowed not to be part of any anti-state move.

The tribe’s chief, Ameer Qasim Wardak, while addressing a ceremony at Kharkanai Ouch, said the Wardaks had rendered great sacrifices during the Pakistan Movement.

He said the tribe would back the national security institutions while defending the borders.

Mr Wardak said they were getting united only to gain rights for the tribe which had been neglected over the years. He said the tribals should give preference to collective gains. He asked the tribesmen to work hard for unity of the tribe and shun internal differences.

TEACHERS’ DEMAND: The all teachers’ alliance and school officers’ association on Sunday demanded of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and education minister to appoint schoolteachers and officers as subject coordinators for checking papers of the SSC annual examinations.

The demand was made at a joint meeting of the associations.

On the occasion, provincial vice president of school officers’ association Abdul Hameed Nasari, district president Humayun Khan and others complained that the educational boards in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had appointed lecturers of colleges and universities as subject coordinators for checking the papers.

They said the college and university teachers had no idea of marking SSC papers. The speakers also alleged that grade 5 and 8 assessment papers were checked by irrelevant officials.

They threatened to launch a protest campaign against the authorities if schoolteachers were not appointed as subject coordinators.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2018