SC rejects Punjab’s reply in teachers’ salary case

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday asked the Punjab government to resolve teachers’ salary issue till August 15.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudry, while hearing teachers’ salary case, directed Punjab’s chief secretary to convene a meeting of the board of governors of the schools to resolve the matter and teachers must be given salary since 1994. He remarked that violation of fundamental rights of teachers is against the constitution and protection of rights is the job of SC.
The chief secretary argued that Divisional Public School Sargodha was an autonomous institute, not a government’s school.
He said 42 such schools, which are functional in the province, are not given any financial support.
The chief secretary said only board of governors can increase salaries.
However, the apex court rejected the chief secretary’s reply and remarked, “Shut the schools if you can’t raise salaries.”
CJ asked the chief secretary Is it fair that a teacher gets Rs5,000 salary. He said that the board of governor meeting should be summoned to resolve the matter and the pending salaries should be dispersed.
The court would issue an order if the Punjab government did nothing, Justice Chaudhry said. He ordered the Chief secretary to submit a response in 3 days and adjourned the hearing till Aug 15.