HYDERABAD, Feb 3: The Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association observed a black day in colleges on Thursday for acceptance of their demands. Members of the organization wore black armbands and hoisted black flags on college buildings.

In a press release issued here, they demanded that a meeting of the departmental promotion committee should be called and notifications regarding promotion of lecturers and assistant professor be issued.

They called for 33 per cent increase in posts of directors of the physical education and librarians. They said the decision of denationalisation of St Joseph and St Patrick colleges should be withdrawn and the academic year should not be changed from April to August.

They said that in-service professors should be appointed in place of officers being appointed on contract in educational institutions. They demanded that political interference in education institutions be dealt with an iron hand.

They said 2,500 vacant posts in colleges should be filled through the Sindh Public Service Commission and the Sindh Teachers Academy and Sindh Teachers foundation should be restored. They warned that if their demands were not met the scope of the protest would be widened.

THATTA: The SPLA, district chapter, hoisted black flags on college buildings in Thatta and Sujawal. Teaching and non-teaching staff of the colleges wore black armbands. A general body meeting of the SPLA called for acceptance of their demands.