A massive traffic gridlock was seen on Mall Road of Lahore because of three different protest demonstrations held at Faisal Chowk on Saturday. The traffic remained suspended from Regal Chowk to Faisal Chowk forcing commuters to take alternative courses.
Teachers’ protest:
Thousands of teachers from all over the province from school education department demonstrated in front of the Punjab Assembly to press for their demands.
The protesting teachers said that the handing over of as many as 5000 schools to the private sector will ruin the education sector of the country. Abdul Razaq, a teacher from district Bahawalnagr, told Pakistan Today that the protest movement of teachers would prove to be the last nail in the coffin of the rulers. He said that it is shameful that the builders of the nation are on the roads to get their due rights.
Teachers from Shiekhupura, Narowal, Bahawalpur, Multan and other parts of the province were in attendance. Around 300 female teachers also participated in the sit-in.
Misbah, a lady teacher told Pakistan Today that they have come on roads to save the future of this nation and they would not let anyone to privatise the education of the province. She said that the government is responsible for the deteriorating situation of government schools as thousands of teachers have been waiting to be promoted to the next grade for a long time. It is extremely difficult for a teacher to perform well without getting his or her due incentive, she said.
During the protest, slogans of ‘Go-Nawaz-Go’ were raised from the podium.
PPP protest Abbotabad honour killing:
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) staged a demonstration at the same venue against the honor killing of a girl named Ambreen who was set ablaze on the decision of Jirga in Abbotabad as she helped her friend marry according to her will.
PPP Lahore Information Secretary Faisal Mir said that the time has come to get rid of such orthodox thinking. “We must say good-bye to the Mullahism and the traditional jirga system to ensure the bright future of the country”, he said.
PTI women workers stage protest against government:
Women workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also staged a sit-in at Faisal Chowk demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over Panama Leaks. MPA Saadia Sohail Rana said that her party had already decided to stage a sit-in at Faisal Chowk and they came to know after reaching the venue that the teachers are also staging a protest there.
She announced that woman workers of the PTI would stage sit-in everyday at 5 PM at Faisal Chowk until the prime minister resigns. The PTI had earlier decided to stage sit-in at Faisal Chowk every Thursday, but now it has been announced that only woman workers would hold demonstration everyday while their male colleagues would join them on Thursdays.
Teacher’s community has warned the protesting teachers against joining protest of any political party as they have no political agenda. The political workers of the PPP and PTI dispersed after some time but the teachers’ sit-in continued till the filing of the story.
