KARACHI, Sept 12: Retired professors have called for an immediate end to the conflict between the Sindh government and teacher community, urging the government to lift the ban on teachers’ association and advising teachers to stop their campaign.

Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday, Prof Dewan Aftab Ahmed Khan, a former director of colleges, Sindh, Prof Haroon Rashid and other retired professors also appealed to the provincial government to stop victimising teachers.

“We appeal to the Sindh chief minister and education minister that the controversial ban on teachers’ associations be lifted, victimisation of teachers be stopped and all curbs on the legitimate rights of teachers be done away with,” they said.

They also asked agitating teachers to stop their protest against the ban and disciplinary action to pave the way for negotiations for an amicable solution to the problem.

They observed that the agitation by teachers must not be allowed to be used by any political group or party for some other motives. They maintained that teachers should focus on their genuine problems and demands.

The professors said that in order to hold a discussion on the issues relating to education in Sindh, the problems being faced by teacher community and the handling of affairs by the education department, they were organising a seminar later this month.

Retired judges, educationists, lawyers, intellectuals, writers and journalists would be invited to deliberate upon the issues, they added.

They said that Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad had obliged them to discuss with him the ongoing confrontation between the two sides on Sept 29.

“We have also requested the chief minister, education minister and chief secretary of Sindh for similar meetings to sort out the issue,” they added.

The professors, who have remained associated with various teachers associations or held positions in government departments in the past, expressed the view that the ban on teachers’ associations and unions was illegal, immoral and a violation of fundamental human rights.

Condemning the insertion of irrelevant Sections, including that of attempted murder, in the FIRs registered against protesting teachers, they said that such actions by the education department were bound to affect performance of teachers badly and also cause deterioration of educational standard and law and order situation in the province.

The professors described the statements and actions by Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro as ‘autocratic’, and said that the attitude was detrimental of the promotion of education.

Regarding changes in curricula, they said that the move amounted to shaking the ideological base of the educational system.

“Nobody is against a revision of curricula, but instead of modernising it, the authorities seem trying to trigger controversies.”

Prof Anis Zaidi, Prof Qazi Siraj, Prof Sarfraz Ali Khan and Prof Imtiaz Ahmed were among those present.—PPI