LAHORE, Jan 10: The Joint Action Committee of Teachers, Punjab, on Saturday observed a token hunger strike in front of the Lahore Press Club against NGOs' interference in schools and revival of withdrawn facilities and increase in salaries.

A large number of teachers, led by JAC chairman Rana Arshad, Punjab Teachers Union president Jan-i-Alam Khan, Municipal Corporation Teachers Union president Aslam Ghumman and Punjab Association of Subject Specialists secretary-general Rana Liaquat Ali participated in the hunger strike that continued from 10am to 2pm.

They said on the occasion that they would suspend their protest campaign only after the acceptance of their demands.

The JAC leaders said education was a sensitive issue and needed to be controlled by the provincial government. District Nazims were flouting Punjab education department's orders.

They said the district governments' decision to nominate union council Nazims as chairmen of school councils would politicize the education system and cause great damage to the sector.

The involvement of NGOs in government schools was also illegal and unconstitutional. The government should keep NGOs out of schools and seek their advice to improve the standard of education, they added.

They expressed concern over unbridled price hike that had rendered their meagre salaries worthless.

They said teachers were the most respected community in every society but the Punjab government and the district Nazims were forcing them to commit suicide.

The JAC leaders vowed that they would hold a protest meeting at Nasser Bagh followed by a rally up to the Punjab Assembly on Jan 15.

They said the teachers would also start recite 'Azans' in schools assemblies from Monday and pray for the removal of the government.