Protest continues in the capital Quetta against the non-payment of salaries to the employees and professors of the University of Balochistan, despite the assurance from the Chief Minister of Balochistan, salaries could not be disbursed.
Employees have been protesting for four months against the non-payment of salaries, andon Monday, Ali Madad Jattak, a member of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the assembly, attempted to discredit the protesters, telling them to end their protest.
The protesters stated that they are running out of patience, and they have set up a sit-in outside the Balochistan Assembly. Employees stated that due to the non-payment of salaries, many university staff and professors are facing financial difficulties, and despite the government’s assurance, salary disbursement is being delayed.
It is notable that during the protest sit-in of university employees, a committee consisting members of the Balochistan assembly and PPP representatives Lala Liaqat Ali Lohar, Haji Mir Ali Madad Jattak, and Sardar Obaid Gorgej was made to mee the protesters and present their demands to the CM Balochistan. However, the promises made by the government to the employees, could not be fulfilled.
Protests by employees against the government’s broken promises are ongoing. At this juncture, Haji Ali Madad Jattak, a member of the Balochistan Assembly, urged them to end the sit-in, but the employees refused and announced to continue the protest until their demands are met, at which point the assembly member used threatening language towards female employees. During this time, the protesters booed the minister and made him leave the protest site.
In a press release from the provincial secretariat of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, it was stated that during the protest against the non-payment of salaries for the past three months by professors, assistant professors, lecturers, and other staff of Quetta University, in front of the assembly, the behavior of the so-called assembly member towards women professors was condemnable and its against the cultural values of Baloch and Pashtun people. The party condemns it in the strongest terms.
It was stated in the statement that not paying salaries for the past three months and forcing the architects of the future generations to protest on the streets is solid evidence of the failure of the previous provincial government and the current fraudulent mandate.
The statement said that the Higher Education Commission Islamabad should work with the chancellor of the province’s oldest university and the provincial government to find a solution to the university crisis and ensure that all university staff are paid their full salaries before Eid so that the spread of frustration and restlessness among university staff can be eliminated.
The statement said that it is the responsibility of the government to send representatives of those responsible for protecting Pashtun and Baloch high social traditions and customs to the protesting demonstrators, but what happened and the violation of traditions and customs with women professors is a direct responsibility of the provincial government, which will have to be accounted for in the public court.
The protesters demanded immediate action against the assembly member who misbehaved with women professors during the protest.