HYDERABAD, Sept 13: The Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association has criticized Sindh Education Minister Dr Hameeda Khuhro for privatizing educational institutions.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Monday, SPLA president Prof Riaz Ahsan, secretary-general Prof Agha Khalid Hassan Pathan, Hyderabad SPLA president Prof Sher Khan Selero, regional general-secretary Prof Gul Sher Nabi and other office- bearers of the association demanded removal of the minister.

They regretted that the minister had disappointed the teaching community. They said it was expected that the minister would immediately fill 507 posts of college teachers under the four-tier formula and convene a meeting of the departmental promotion committee but instead of resolving the problems, she started privatizing the institutes.

They quoted examples of St. Joseph and St. Patrick colleges, Karachi, which were to be handed over to the Catholic Board despite they had given 99 per cent result in the board examinations and won seven positions.

They regretted that Dr Khuhro was not even prepared to discuss a memorandum submitted to her at her own request. They said following a protest movement by college teachers in February, they were promised that a notification would be issued in respect of their demands but authorities had yet to hold a meeting of the promotion committee in this regard.

The association leaders said teachers had not been given promotion for 13 to 14 years although hundreds of posts were lying vacant. They demanded that the decision to denationalize colleges should be rescinded, the promotion committee meeting be convened to fill vacant posts, promotion orders of 140 directors of physical health and librarians be issued, retired officers, who had been reappointed, be removed and orders in respect of 400 move-over cases be issued without delay.

They said a sub-treasury office should be established in Kotri. They announced that on Sept 14, teachers of the Hyderabad region would hold a general body meeting at the Muslim Science College, Hyderabad, and hold a demonstration for their demands.

They further announced that a general body meeting of teachers of colleges of Sindh would be held on Sept 21 at the DJ Science College, Karachi, and thereafter the Chief Minister's House would be besieged as a mark of protest.