Teachers protest against principal s excesses
Rawalpindi:The Divisional Public School and College (DPSC) principal here on Thursday locked dozens of female teachers with the help of security guards when they tried to stage a protest against what they termed his ‘excesses’.
Female teachers scuffled with security guards on the premises of the academic institution. The principal locked all teachers when they tried to go to the road for staging a protest against him. Two teachers — Nilofer Jaffery and physical training instructor Nazia were injured in scuffle with security guards. Some teachers started weeping after seeing their injured colleagues.
After some time, teachers and non-teaching staff broke locks and protested against DPSC Principal Dr. Ubaidullah. They blocked the main Shamsabad Road for an hour to record their protest against the principal’s bad behaviour. The protesters urged Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif to take notice of the principal’s high-handedness, who, with the help of security guards, kept dozens of female teachers and non-teaching staff in illegal custody for half-an-hour.
The protesters threatened the Punjab government to take notice of the incident within 24 hours otherwise they would stage a protest in front of the Parliament House.
A heavy contingent of police reached the spot to maintain law and order. Hundreds of students and parents also witnessed the incident. Media persons were not allowed to enter the premises of the academic institution.
DPSC Principal Dr Ubaidullah told ‘The News’ that he could not allow teachers and non-teaching staff to leave the premises before 2 p.m. “I wanted to maintain peace in the academic institution, but some teachers and non-teaching staff created an unpleasant atmosphere,” he said. He said that he tried to negotiate with protesters, asking them not to protest against him. He said that the protest has given a bad name to the institution, students and parents.
Addressing the protesters, DPSC Boys Senior Section Headmaster Masood Ahmed Gill said that they could not work under Dr. Ubaidullah because he uses vulgar language and misbehaves with them. He said that several ad hoc employees have not been given salaries for the last one year. According to him, “If these employees open their mouths, they are hurled threats of termination by the principal”. He said that the principal kept them locked in illegal custody for half-an-hour on Thursday.
Junior Section Headmistress Nilofer Jaffery said that security guards pulled her and she sustained injuries after falling on the ground. “The principal treats all teachers and non-teaching staff roughly and uses foul language against them,” she said. “We would stage a protest in front of the Parliament House if the concerned authorities didn’t take action against the principal.”
Senior Accounts Officer Ashfaq Ahmed said that the principal gets fake bills signed by the accounts staff. “The academic institution has adequate funds but the principal has stopped salaries and other dues of several employees for the last one year. All employees approach me, but I am unable to do anything without the orders of the principal,” he said.
Naib Qasid Shaheen Naz said that she could not avail even a single leave for the last two years. “I approached the principal’s office time and again for taking leave, but he always threatened me of termination from service,” she said.
Security guards, on condition of anonymity, told ‘The News’ that they blocked protesters on the directives of the principal, saying that they being poor could not afford unemployment.The news
