Muzaffarabad, June 6, 2023: Hundreds of protestors took to the streets of Muzaffarabad on Tuesday to demand the immediate appointment of newly selected secondary school teachers (SSTs).
The protestors, who were led by the Anti-Adhak Movement, gathered outside the office of the Public Service Commission (PSC) and chanted slogans against the government. They accused the government of delaying the appointment of the newly selected teachers in order to protect the interests of ad-hoc teachers.
The protestors also demanded that the government take action against the ad-hoc mafia, which they said was responsible for the delay in the appointment of the newly selected teachers.
Addressing the protestors, Dr. Raja Karamat Hussain, President of the Anti-Adhak Movement, said that the selection process for the SST posts had been pending since 2018 due to court injunctions. He said that the Azad Jammu Kashmir Public Service Commission (AJKPSC) had conducted examinations and interviews for the posts in September 2022, but the government had not yet issued the appointment orders.
Dr. Hussain said that there were 822 men and women who had been selected for the SST posts, but they were still waiting for their appointments. He said that the government was discriminating against the newly selected teachers by delaying their appointments.
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Dr. Hussain demanded that the government immediately issue appointment orders for the newly selected SSTs. He also demanded that the government take action against the ad-hoc mafia.
The protestors also submitted a memorandum to the Chief Secretary of Azad Kashmir, demanding that their demands be met.
The government has not yet responded to the demands of the protestors.
The protest comes at a time when the education sector in Azad Kashmir is facing a number of challenges. There is a shortage of teachers in many schools, and the quality of education is declining. The delay in the appointment of the newly selected SSTs is likely to further worsen the situation.