PESHAWAR: Teachers of government primary schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa announced an end to the five days long strike on Monday night saying the government had accepted their demands, especially upgradation of pay scales and restoration of allowances.

They said primary schools would resume classes today (Tuesday).

All Primary Teachers Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, president Azizullah Khan told reporters that he and other association members held talks with education secretary Muthasim Billah and other high-ups of the department for long hours and the latter accepted their all demands.

He said the association would shortly sign an agreement with the government in that respect.

Announce reopening of primary schools across province

Earlier in the day, scores of primary schoolteachers from across the province demonstrated here for the fifth consecutive day and blocked the busy Khyber Road for several hours.

All primary schools in the provincial capital remained closed during the strike, while the closure of only boys’ schools was reported in rest of the province.

The teachers boycotted duty to demand of the government to upgrade their posts, reverse the withdrawn allowances, and promote them.

The schoolteachers on Monday staged a sit-in at the Jinnah Park in Peshawar before marching on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly at 3pm.

Holding banners and placards, they shouted slogans against the provincial government for not accepting their ‘genuine’ demands.

They closed the road outside the assembly’s building until 8pm causing massive traffic jam on the main artery of the capital city.

The police diverted traffic to other roads to ease the misery of motorists and commuters. Vehicles progressed at a snail’s pace in the city.

On Thursday, the police had baton-charged hundreds of protesting primary schoolteachers and fired teargas on them after the latter blocked the Khyber Road near the provincial assembly’s building.

They had also booked 13 leaders of the protesters for rioting, attempt to murder, and other offences. The police had taken AGPA president Azizullah Khan into custody on Sunday night.

High-ups of the elementary and secondary education department made several attempts to convince teachers for calling off their strike, but to no avail.

Addressing the Jinnah Park sit-in, chairman of the All Government Employees AssociationRehman Ali Bajwacondemned the police’s action against teachers for peacefully demanding rights.

Mr Bajwa, who had come to the provincial capital from Islamabad to express solidarity with protesters, warned that all government departments and educational institutions would be closed if the government didn’t hold talks with the protesting teachers for the resolution of issues.

Earlier on Monday, the education department set up a committee for the ‘amicable’ resolution of the issue. The committee consisted of the department’s special secretary, additional secretary, director, additional director and deputy director.

The East Cantonment police station has registered an FIR against 13 protesters, including Azizullah, Syed Miraj Ali, Bacha Mahmood, Khalid Kamal, Shafiq Ahmed Khan, Qazi Habibullah, Ali Rehman, Kamran Khurram, Rafaqatullah, Attiqur Rehman Mughal and Umer Sher Khan for allegedly leading hundreds of protesting teachers to block the Khyber Road and shout slogans against the government.

The FIR said the protesters refused to talk to the authorities and threw stones on them besides opening fire, which forced the police personnel to fire tear gas on them and baton- charge them.

It added that eight police officials, including the SSP (operations), suffered injuries after the stones thrown by protesters hit him.

The FIR registered under sections 324, 353, 341, 148, 149, 186 and 187 of the Pakistan Penal Code for assault or criminal force to deter public servants from discharge of their duty, attempt to murder, wrongful restraint, rioting, unlawful assembly, obstruction of public servants in discharge of duties, and mischief.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2022