LAHORE, Dec 10: Talks between the government and the Joint Action Committee of teachers, doctors and students failed on Tuesday.

Blaming the government for the failure, the JAC announced that it would stage a sit-in outside the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday (today) at 10.30 am.

JAC chairman Nazim Hasnain told Dawn that the attitude of the government officials throughout the meeting was humiliating.

He said that the committee — headed by the Punjab Chief Secretary and comprising health and education secretaries — also threatened to transfer Prof Dr Haris Rashid to a far-flung area.

Mr Hasnain said the government was not sincere in solving the problem rather it was following in the footsteps of the military regime. He said the JAC would not allow the government to succeed in its plans.

He claimed that thousands of students, teachers, doctors and political activists would join the JAC protest outside the Punjab Assembly and court arrest.

He said if the government tried to stop them the students and teachers of all colleges would stage sit-in outside their institutions throughout the Punjab.

He said that the committee listened to the JAC demands but did not extend any assurance to fulfil them.

The JAC demands include withdrawal of the board of governors, repeal of the Model University Ordinance and reinstatement of sacked teachers and doctors.

JAC chairman Nazim Hasnain led the delegation which held talks with the government committee at the Civil Secretariat. Punjab IG Police Malik Asif Hayat was also present.

Chief Secretary Hafeez Akhtar Randhawa was asked by Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Monday to hold talks with the JAC.

Mr Randhawa assured the JAC that the committee would inform the chief minister about their demands.