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Teachers warn govt of hunger strike unto death
ISLAMABAD, May 30(Dawn): Leaders of the Pakistan Teachers United Front (PTUF)
have threatened to go on hunger strike till death if the government does not
listen to their demands of upgrading their service structure in line with other
government departments.
The PTUF, a representative body of over 800,000
school teachers throughout the country, has give a protest call against the
government for not fulfilling its set of demands that largely aim at the
promotion of teaching as a profession.
"Enough is enough, we are here in
the federal capital for the solution of our problems and will not go back empty
handed. This time, come what may, we will make it sure that the government
listens to our problems," a PTUF office-bearer said.
The PTUF says it is
not demanding luxurious bungalows, air- conditioned cars or other such stuff
which the ruling class of the country is enjoying, but enough salary so that
they (teachers) can easily make both ends meet.
The front's Balochistan
chapter organised a hunger strike on Tuesday at the busy Aabpara Chowk. Next day
(Wednesday) it will be representatives from the NWFP and AJK who would sit at
the same place followed by those from Sindh and Punjab provinces.
After
this first leg of hunger strike if the government remained unmoved, the
leadership of the PTUF would go for a symbolic hanging in-front of the
Parliament House on the day of budget.
Afterwards, the date for the
hunger strike till death by the leaders of the PTUF would be
announced.
According to the protesting teachers, time scale job is their
main demand. At present, hardly there is any promotion in the school-level
teaching profession and baring exceptions, a teacher is retired in the same
grade in which he/she gets recruited.
During the last four years, on
several occasions the government had accepted PTUF's demands; on records six
times by the federal education minister, twice by the prime minister and once by
the National Assembly speaker, they said.
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