ISLAMABAD - The workers of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) on Wednesday called off their strike for the time being on the assurance of the Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmed Sangi that their genuine demands will be given sympathetic consideration.
“We have called off our strike, giving time to the administration to accept our demands, including reinstatement of the dismissed workers, this was announced by the workers’ representatives including Malik Muhammad Saeed, Sher Asif Satti and Sajjid Mahmood Janjua while addressing the workers’ meetings at the university’s campus.
The VC has already approved filing of vacant posts of teachers, officers and the staff through normal official process. He also allowed overtime and second-shifting transport-facility for the workers.  The vice chancellor also assured that the workers may be allowed to hold their election of employees’ welfare association next month. Malik Saeed hoped that their demands will be accepted within next four working days. The employees called off their strike on the 10th day that was started against the use of force by the university administration on the families of two sacked employees who were trying to meet the Vice Chancellor to appeal the restoration of their services.  
One of the employees, Malik M Saeed, informed that the negotiations between the employees and the VC became possible due to the intervention of MNA Faryal Talpur. He said Chairman Red Crescent AJK Shaikh Hameed, Chief of People’s Youth Organisation in UK Naeem Abbassi and Sohail Sayyal from Larkana facilitated the talks.