The representatives of Mutahida Mahaz Asateza have set June 30 as deadline for acceptance of their demands and threatened the government to launch protest movement in case of its failure in this regard. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Mahaz held on Monday with Hafiz Abdul Nasir, the provincial head of the Mahaz in chair.
The representatives of all teachers' organisations of the province were also present in the meeting. Addressing on the occasion, Jamil Ahmed Virk, Raja Zafeer, Ahmed Satti, Taj Haider, Afzana Shaheen, Zarrar Ahmed, Arif Hussain Mahar, Rana Sultan Mehmood Akhtar, Raja Muzaffar Ali and others expressed their disappointment over the federal budget and termed the 15-percent raise in teachers' salaries quite insufficient.
They also flayed the government for not announcing teaching allowance in the budget and reiterated their resolve to continue movement till the government accepts their demands, including teaching allowance, time scale, denationalisation of educational institutions and raise in their salaries in proportion to the price hike.
They said if the government failed to issue notification for acceptance of these demands by June 30, they would take to streets from 1st of July 2007. It was also announced in the meeting that in the first phase, protest meetings would be arranged in eight divisional headquarters of the Punjab.
The second phase in the month of August, hunger strike camps would be organised at district headquarters, from 11 am to 1 pm and afterwards a protest procession will be taken out. On September 1 a meeting of the Mahaz will be convened where future strategy including boycott of classes and schedule of protest demonstrations will be unveiled.