LAHORE, Dec 4: The Pakistan Peoples Party vowed on Wednesday to join hands with teachers, doctors and students in their campaign against privatization of educational institutions and hospitals and the Model University Ordinance.

The party leaders warned the government if it did not withdraw its anti-health and educational policies by Dec 11, the PPP workers would stage a sit-in along with teachers, doctors and students outside the Governor’s House and the Punjab Assembly.

They were speaking at a seminar organized by the PPP Cultural Wing to express solidarity with teachers, doctors and students. JAC leader Nazim Hasnain, Dil Muhammad Mirza, Naveed Anwar and Raja Mahboob were also present.

PPP MNA Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan said the government instead of providing relief to people in health and education sectors had made them inaccessible through privatization. He said provision of health and education facilities were state’s responsibility which must be fulfilled. He said they would not allow the government to evade its duty.

Mr.Aitzaz advised the government to hold talks with the representatives of doctors and teachers instead of using force against them just because they had difference of opinion about its so-called reforms.

Dr.Mehdi Hasan inquired if an army official could become head of a university why not a doctor or a teacher be appointed as an army corps commander. He said the teachers and doctors were fighting on principles and the government could not suppress their protest campaign.

Fakhar Zaman said the governor took the issue personally otherwise it might have been solved about five months ago. He alleged that the government was serving vested interests through establishing colleges and universities in the private sector.

Nazim Hasnain said that the holding of a protest demonstration was the democratic right of every citizen and the state had no right to victimize the protesters.

He criticized President Pervez Musharraf’s dictating the newly-elected government on the MUO. He suggested the military regime to refrain from interfering in the matters of the civil government. He alleged that the government wanted to implement the IMF and World Bank agenda on people at any cost which would detrimental to them.

United Teachers Association Technical Education President Muhammad Tariq rejected TEVTA ordinance and demanded its immediate repeal.