SWABI, May 11: The All Terminated Afghan Teachers’ Association (ATATA) — who worked for 11 years under the GTZ/Basic Education for Afghan Refugees (GTZ/BEFARe) project — demanded payment of arrears and immediate reinstatement at a meeting held here on Friday.

The GTZ/BEFARe was the largest employer of refugee teachers in Pakistan, who received salary from the UNHCR and the German government.

ATATA president Safdar Ali, general secretary Farman Ali and other members warned that they would commit self-immolation in front of the Parliament House if their demands were not accepted.

Their services were terminated in December and the manager of the Resource Centre, Mardan, had promised that they would be paid arrears in February.

Mr Ali said that when they joined the GTZ/BEFARe project in January of 1996, each employee was paid only Rs1,260 per month, although the education cell of the United Nations Commissioner for Afghan Refugees had approved Rs2,500 per month for them. He was of the view that all of his colleagues should be paid arrears.

The teachers, who used to teach in the Gohati Afghan Refugee Camp, said they had worked for the GTZ/BEFARe for 11 years and they were not entitled to apply for government jobs because they were now over-age.

They appealed to the government, human rights groups, the UNHCR, interior minister and GTZ officials for payment of arrears and restoration of their services.

When contacted, an official of the local administration said the GTZ had employed teachers for refugee children in Abbottabad, Swabi, Bannu, Hangu, Mardan, Peshawar and Timergara.

He added that in the wake of repatriation of refugees, the GTZ/BEFARe might not need their services any more. However, he said, they should be paid arrears, if any.