According to different media reports On Thursday 12th October, the police resorted to the use of batons and arrested numerous government employees, including teachers, who had been participating in a sit-in outside the Punjab Civil Secretariat for the past few days.
Protests took place in several cities across Punjab, resulting in the arrest of more than 100 employees, which included teachers, by the law enforcement authorities.
The All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) in Punjab has been organizing demonstrations to express their discontent with the provincial government’s proposed changes to pension regulations, the discontinuation of leave encashment benefits, and the privatization of public schools.
Late on Wednesday night, several AGEGA leaders were also taken into custody while participating in the sit-in. The police’s actions on Thursday caused chaos among the demonstrators, leading to significant traffic disruptions on Lower Mall, The Mall, and surrounding areas.
Earlier on Thursday, AGEGA Punjab declared a strike across all educational institutions in Punjab until their demands were met. The protesters included employees from various government departments, such as health, education, and higher education, as well as members of the All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA). In the meantime, various associations, including the Punjab Teachers Union (PTU), strongly criticized the police’s actions and called for the immediate release of those who had been arrested.
The Civil rights activists have also condemned the treatment of Punjab police towards the teachers and asked the government to listen to their demands.
پنجاب میں اساتذہ نجکاری کےخلاف اور لیبر قوانین پر عمل درآمد کے لئے پچھلے 4 دنوں سے مظاہرے کررہے ہیں۔ کل درجنوں اساتذہ کو پنجاب حکومت نے گرفتار کرلیا جس کے بعد آج اساتذہ نے سکولوں کا بائکاٹ کردیا۔ ہماری ریاست مافیاز کے آگے بے بس اور قوم کے معماروں کے آگے بدمعاش بن جاتی ہے۔ شرمناک!
— Ammar Ali Jan (@ammaralijan) October 13, 2023