Over 250 protesting educators arrested in Karachi

KARACHI: In a crackdown outside Karachi Press Club (KPC), over 250 protesting educators have been arrested by riot police in the metropolis, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Due to the arrests of the educators in large numbers, the Artillery Ground police station ran out of space.

According to the district administration, Section 144 has been imposed in Sindh which led the authorities to arrest the educators. The police officials were instructed to transport the arrested educators to different police stations.

The police operation was launched following the report of the teachers’ presence in the Zainab Market. The police officials have started checking CNICs and office cards of the suspected persons.

Prior to the crackdown, police teams surrounded adjoining areas of Karachi Press Club (KPC). 40 teachers including women were arrested from Zainab Market’s roundabout.

The teachers were protesting about not being awarded permanent job status despite passing the NTS in 2013.

On May 30, Sindh Police had cracked down on teachers protesting outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC) and arrested multiple educators.

According to details, teachers from different districts of Sindh had gathered outside the Press Club to protest against the Sindh government. The police had launched a crackdown on the protestors when they tried to march toward the Chief Minister’s house situated in the Red Zone.

A clash emerged between the police and teacher protestors after the police launched a baton charge over the protestors. The police had also arrested multiple teachers.

Police had also blocked all roads leading to the Chief Minister and also called for a water cannon to disperse the protestors.

A similar protest was staged by the teachers some weeks back, which ended after the teachers reached an accord with the Sindh government. However, the teachers staged another protest claiming their demands were not met.