KARACHI: All of the more than two dozen teachers arrested Monday during a protest — to demand their positions be made permanent — were let go late night the same day, Geo News reported.
The teachers were protesting outside the Karachi Press Club but police intercepted them when they started moving towards the Chief Minister House, shelling and baton-charging them and arresting a few.
The law enforcement agencies (LEAs) also made use of water cannons.
According to the protesters, the provincial government was not regularising their positions despite them passing the National Testing Service test.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari — the Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — had expressed concern over the incident, slamming the police brutality and saying authorities had no right to beat up peaceful protesters.
"Protesting peacefully is the democratic right of every [Pakistani] citizen," Bilawal had said Monday evening, adding that he believes the Sindh Police has been acting "a bit too independently than required".
The PPP chairperson then said he hoped Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah and Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair will hold up democratic practices.
Speaking to Geo News, one of the disgruntled teachers said they would either die at during the protest or take home the notification of their regularisation.
The government was extending their contract, the teacher added, but they are demanding regularisation since that would keep their status uncertain.
Some of the protesting teachers were hired during the previous government's tenure but the incumbent leadership believes they hold fake degrees and certifications.
A few days ago,a similar protest was staged but had ended in negotiations with District Commissioner South. During that demonstration too, the teachers were arrested and baton-charged by the police when they tried moving towards the Sindh Secretariat.