Pakistan: Police fire tear gas, baton charge teachers protesting reduction in allowances

In yet another case of police brutality in Pakistan, the Police in Peshawar baton-charged and fired tear gas shells on university teachers, who were protesting university reforms, which include a reduction in allowances, in front of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday.

Citing police, Dawn reported that at least eight of the protesting teachers were also detained for blocking the road.

The university teachers from across the province as well as other government employees, had been demonstrating for the last five days. The teachers demand the concerned authorities to withdraw the decision of deducting their allowances in university reforms.

On Monday, they gathered in front of Peshawar University and marched towards the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly where they blocked the road, Dawn reported.

"The citizens had right to a peaceful protest and police do not take action if the protest is peaceful and limited to a side of the road," said Peshawar SSP (Operations) Yasir Khan Afridi.

"If the protest inconveniences citizens, then the law will come into action," he said.

However, head of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations (FUAPASA), Dr Shah Alam, said the protest would continue until the demands -- withdrawal of proposed reforms, including a reduction in allowances of university employees, ending free education for their children and establishment of a provincial chapter of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) under the 18th Amendment were met, Dawn reported.

"When provincial (chapters) of the HEC are present in Punjab and Sindh then why not in our province? The provincial government has reduced the higher education budget instead of increasing it," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )