QUETTA: On Monday, hundreds of educators and employees of Balochistan University conducted a sit-in in front of the Balochistan Assembly.
Following the sit-in, they protested the non-payment of their salaries for the previous four months, claiming it had resulted in severe financial difficulties, by marching along the province capital’s main thoroughfares.
They got together within the university and organized a rally that went past Jinnah Road, Zarghoon Road, Sariab Road, and the provincial legislature, which was in session at the time.
The protesters yelled chants in support of their demands and held placards and banners with their demands written on them.Dr. Kaleemullah and other joint action committee leaders led them.
In order to prevent anyone from entering the property, they established a camp outside the assembly gate. On the other hand, people entered the assembly through different gates.
Assembly members alerted retired captain Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, the speaker, of the demonstration.
In order to hear the demands of the demonstrators, the speaker appointed a five-person committee that included Wali Muhammad Nourzai, Agha Umar Ahmedzai, Rehmat Saleh Baloch, Mir Saddiq Umrani, and Mir Ali Madad Jattak.
Following negotiations, the committee assured the joint action committee that issues pertaining to their salaries and pensions would be resolved as soon as possible, citing the approval of a grant by Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti for universities to resolve financial crises. The leaders of the joint action committee informed the committee of their grievances and stated that they had not received salaries, which had caused financial hardship.
The assembly members gave the teachers assurances that funds would be distributed in the upcoming days.
The joint action committee declared that the protest would halt after receiving assurances from the house committee.
They did, however, declare that they would continue their sit-in outside the university’s main entrance until the problem of delayed salaries was finally handled.
