RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi police on Thursday baton-charged and injured 10 teachers and clerks protesting against appointment of the chief executive officer of District Education Department on Murree Road. A photo journalist identified as Faisal Khan was also injured and shifted to the hospital.

As many as 15 elected representatives of teachers/lecturers’ unions were shifted to unknown locations. Journalists’ unions and teachers denounced police action and urged the government to take stern action against the officials.

Teachers and clerks have announced a complete strike today (Friday) against the police. According to details, aheavy contingent of police reachedoutside District Education Department’s Office where teachers and clerks had staged a protest against the appointment of Azam Kashif.

The area turnedinto a battleground as protestersclashedwith police. Prominent officials among the detained were Government Zia Ul Aloom High School Principal Nabeel Raza Shah, Punjab Teachers Union Divisional Vice President Raja Ajaib and Punjab Teachers Union Murree President Raja Mohammad Naveed.

“Around 15 teachers and clerks with bleeding heads and noses have been taken away in police mobile vans,” said Punjab Teachers Union District President Raja Shahid Mubarak, who was taking part in the protest camp along with 100 protestors.

He said that teachers and clerks were protesting peacefully. “We will not move back even an inch from our stance and will continue to protest against the illegal appointment of a rude CEO Azam Kashif,” he said, adding teachers and the clerks put locks on all offices of education departments and educational institutions as a protest against police brutality.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2022