ISLAMABAD: There was a brief clash between the police and the protesting Basic Education Community Schools (BECS) teachers, who tried to advance into Parliament House on Wednesday.

The police force deployed at the main gates managed to stop the protesters from entering the building.

When they started moving towards Parliament House, the police rounded up a few of the teachers and released them later on, some of the protesters said.

Some of the teachers are now protesting at D-Chowk and others outside Parliament House on Constitution Avenue.

Muzhair Hussain, who is leading the protest, said the police manhandled some of the teachers and two of them received injuries.

Secretariat Station House Officer Asjad Mehmood denied manhandling and arresting of protesters.

“We have been sitting at D-Chowk the last 10 days and our issues are not being resolved,” one of the teachers said.

The BECS teachers get paid Rs8,000 a month and have not even been paid this salary for last many months.

The teachers said the delay in their salaries is due to their employment status and are demanding that their services be regularised.

Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood had told the parliament that his ministry was making efforts to resolve the issues of the protesting teachers.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2018