Lahore: Over 200 teachers and employees of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) staged a sit-in in front of the Punjab Assembly here to press their demands.
The protesters were of the view that they were not being paid their salaries for the last two months and ETPB management has decided to terminate their services. The protest lasted till filing of this news item and angry protesters who gathered at Charring cross at 12.00 noon were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans. They chanted slogans against present government and in favour of their demands and pledged to remain on roads till the acceptance of their demands.–Staff Reporter
“We have decided to stay here the whole night and nobody will go home today until and unless our demands are accepted”, said Shakeel who was leading the protesters. Sources said the accounts section of ETPB raised objection on the recruitment of said employees of the board and among those whose services were challenged included employees of Aysha Degree College, Nicolson road, Nawaz Sharif Model Girls High School, Nicolson road, Benazir Bhutto High School, Badami Bagh and Dr Matin Fatima Girls High School, Shahdra.
Majority of the employees who were not being paid salaries was teachers of the above said institutions. A protester said that only 31 employees were from Janki Devi hospital, who were sacked. He said that among the above said such employees were also being terminated who were serving in the board for the last 18 years. Secretary Education Khalid Baig and Board senior officers visited protesters to convince and ask them to end their protest but they refused to end their protest.