Thousands of Employees and Teachers Take to the Streets; Protest to Continue Until Demands Are Met
The protest, organized by the Joint Action Committee, was attended by office bearers of the Punjab University Academic Staff Association and the Punjab University Administrative & Technical Staff Association, along with thousands of faculty members and employees.
Addresses at the Protest:
The Chairman of the Joint Action Committee, Prof. Dr. Sardar Asghar Iqbal, addressed the gathering. He stated that the Vice Chancellor is patronizing a specific group within the university, which has severely affected the university’s financial and administrative affairs.
Also present on the occasion were Prof. Dr. Abdul Rehman Khan Niazi, Senior Vice President of the Joint Action Committee Prof. Dr. Muqeet Javed, Dr. Abrar Zafar, Prof. Dr. Kamran Mirza and other faculty members.
Chaudhry Basharat Mahmood, President of the Punjab University Administrative & Technical Staff Association and President of the Joint Action Committee, said in his address:
"We have been protesting peacefully for the past one and a half years, but the administration has shown stubbornness. Now we are compelled to take practical protest actions."
Future Course of Action:
Chaudhry Basharat Mahmood announced the following future plan of action:
1. Work will be suspended for two hours daily inside offices as a protest while wearing black armbands.
2. A protest rally will be held every Wednesday.
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He further warned: "If the administration does not show seriousness, we will be forced to block the Campus Bridge. In addition, protests will also be held outside the office of the Honorable Chief Minister of Punjab and on GT Road near the Gujranwala and Jhelum campuses."
Key Demands:
Chaudhry Basharat Mahmood demanded that the issues of teachers and employees be resolved immediately and all outstanding dues be paid.
He stated that DG Rehan Sadiq Sheikh, for whom no post previously existed, misbehaves with employees and is fully responsible for deteriorating the university’s administrative and financial conditions.
Therefore, DG Rehan Sadiq Sheikh should be dismissed immediately. The protesters also demanded that the Government of Punjab conduct a forensic audit of the university’s financial and administrative affairs.
Other Speakers:
The protest was also addressed by Tayyab Ijaz Khan Swati, Tanveer Awan, Hammad Butt, Azhar Iqbal Baloch and former Association President Nasir Rehmat.
The Joint Action Committee made it clear that the protest will continue until the demands are accepted.
