LAHORE, Nov 20: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of teachers, doctors and students on Wednesday announced that they would march on the Punjab Assembly for a sit-in on Nov 27 if the government did not withdraw its anti-health and anti-education policies.

Speaking to a sizable gathering of teachers, doctors and students here at Dyal Singh College, JAC leaders Nazim Hasnain, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Prof Dr Haris Rashid, Majid Wazir, Azam Butt, Rana Liaquat and Arshad Chaudhry said the government had been testing their patience for the last several months and wanted them to disrupt law and order. However, they added that they would not let the government succeed in its “evil designs”.

They said they would not hold talks with an illegal government. They hoped that the new government would listen to their welfare-oriented demands.

Dr Yasmin said the people had already rejected the BoGs for hospitals and educational institutions, but the government was still persisting with its “black laws”.

She said the federal government had eventually yielded to public pressure and freed Dr Amir Aziz. Following in the footsteps of one general (Pervaiz Musharraf), the other (Khalid Maqbool), too, should give in to people’s demands and withdraw the BoGs and the MUO, she added.

JAC chairman Nazim Hasnain criticized the government’s victimizing teachers, doctors and students. He said the whole nation had turned against the present government because of the latter’s anti-health and anti-education polices.

Mr Hasnain warned that the government must stop imposing the IMF and World Bank policies on the masses.

The participants later held a demonstration and marched on the Lakshami Chowk. A large number of women teachers and doctors as well as children suffering from thalassaemia also participated in the rally.

Holding banners and placards bearing inscriptions against the BoGs and MUO, the protesters were chanting slogans against the government for its anti-people policies.

A heavy contingent of riot police was deployed on all the entrances to Lakshami Chowk, but it stood on the sideline throughout. Traffic remained suspended for sometime, which created inconvenience for commuters. The protesters later dispersed peacefully.

Meanwhile, teachers and students across the province boycotted classes after 10am on Wednesday and staged protest rallies.