HYDERABAD, Aug 26: A division bench of the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit, on Thursday ordered the release of withheld salaries of 20 primary school teachers and chowkidars while setting aside an official order, stopping their salaries.

The bench comprising Justice Atta-ur-Rehman and Justice Amir Hani Muslim directed the respondents to take an appropriate action against petitioners in accordance with law if there was any controversy.

Twenty teachers and chowkidars of the Nawabshah district had filed a petition against the secretary education, DCO Nawabshah and other officials, praying the court to restrain the respondents from withholding payment of their salaries.

The DCO had ordered withholding of petitioners' salaries on the basis of certain newspaper reports. The EDO education told the court that he was not interfering with the working of petitioners nor any orders had been passed as he was the only competent authority to stop salaries.

He conceded that salaries of petitioners were stopped under due process of law. The court directed the additional advocate-general, Sindh, Masood A. Noorani on the last date of hearing to file comments of the secretary education.

The AAG produced a letter of the secretary, requesting that comments filed by the EDO education had been adopted by the secretary education. The EDO education confirmed the position before the court after which the AAG stated that the EDO had represented the secretary in the matter.