LARKANA: Employees affiliated with All Pakistan Clerks Association (Apca) put locks on Board of Intermediate and Secon-dary Education (BISE), offices in Larkana and Mirpurkhas in protest against ‘arbitrary’ dismissals, suspensions and transfers of employees, and held a sit-in on the board premises, demanding the two board’s chairmen withdraw their orders.

The Larkana BISE chairman Nasim Ahmed Memon had on Wednesday suspended Apca office-bearers Mohammad Ali Daipar, office superintendent (audit section), and Iqbal Jagirani, junior clerk, and transferred Faiz Mohammad Mirbahar, superintendent, to BISE’s booth in Shikarpur on charges of misconduct and undisciplined behavior.

He put them in surplus pool and then sent copies of the orders to the secretary of Universities and Boards, requesting him to post the officials somewhere else as their services were no more required at BISE Larkana.

The chairman’s action sparked protest on Thursday as most of the employees did not turn up at the office to attend to their duties and instead participated in a sit-in and a demonstration led by Apca BISE unit president Mohammad Ali Daipar and general secretary Iqbal Jagirani.

Daiapr told media persons that the chairman refused to grant overdue promotions and committed gross irregularities. Amid ongoing financial issues, he had purchased a new car, he said.

He had declined to consider the Apca unit’s charter of demands and when they insisted on their demands he took action against them.

As the protest was under way, the chairman further added fuel to the fire by dismissing from service Naseer Mohammad Mirani, superintendent litigation, and Abdul Majeed Gabol, driver, on charges of misconduct. They were relieved and asked to report to secretary of Universities and Boards.

The Apca district body expressed solidarity with its BISE unit and joined the protest.

Iqbal Jagirani, general secretary Apca BISE unit, said that now not only would they demand reversal of suspension, dismissal and transfer of employees but also removal of the board chairman.

The chairman, meanwhile, rejected the Apca leaders’ allegations and said that he would not allow any employee to indulge in illegal activities.

Mirpurkhas BISE employees go on strike

Scores of employees of BISE Mirpurkhas, and members of Apca BISE unit staged a demonstration outside local press club here on Thursday in protest against illegal actions of Larkana and Mirpurkhas BISE chairmen and secretaries.

The protesters’ leaders Bachal Wassan, Salah-uddin Sammoon, Arshad Zubair and others demanded the authorities immediately take notice of gross corruption and illegal action against union office bearers and employees which had been done to spoil ongoing protest campaign of the union.

They condemned issuance of suspension orders of Apca BISE Larkana president and general secretary and Apca BISE Mirpurkhas president.

They appealed to general secretary of Apca Sindh Ashraf Bozai to expand the protest across Sindh and demanded the chief justice of Supreme Court and Sindh High Court, Sindh chief secretary and provincial minister for boards and universities immediately suspend chairmen Barkat Ali Haidery and Naseem Memon.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2023