HYDERABAD, Oct 15: A strike call given by the Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association in protest against arrest of college teachers in Karachi on Thursday received a mixed response in the province on Friday.

The SPLA claimed that college teachers boycotted classes in all the 220 colleges of the province. However, reports said that college teachers of Dadu, Naushahro Feroze, Badin, Khairpur, Jacobabad and Tharparkar districts did not respond to the strike call.

The teachers demanded at different protest meetings that TPO Dr Sanaullah Abbasi be suspended for ordering arrests of teachers and the SPLA's charter of demand, including an end to privatization of colleges, be accepted.

In Hyderabad, college teachers held general body meetings in different colleges, wore black armbands and hoisted black flags atop college buildings. Speaking at different meetings, SPLA secretary-general Agha Khalid, regional president Sher Khan Selaro, Professor Mashooq Baloch and others condemned rough treatment meted out to college teachers in D.J. Science College, Karachi, under the orders of TPO Sanaullah Abbasi.

They deplored that even the women teachers were not spared and they were locked up at police stations and warned that the protest would continue unless the TPO was transferred. They called upon the Sindh government and secretary of education department to resolve problems of the college teachers without further delay.

NAWABSHAH: A meeting of the local chapter of the SPLA, held here and presided over by Professor Abdul Karim Bhatti, condemned the unbecoming attitude of the Karachi police towards teachers.

The participants observed that on the one hand, the government gave respect to teachers and celebrated Teachers Day and, on other side, teachers were maltreated and arrested in Karachi.

The meeting called on the government to accept their charter of demands and demanded suspension of the TPO. Earlier, the teachers wore black armbands and boycotted classes as a mark of protest.

SANGHAR: Teachers boycotted classes, hoisted black flags atop college buildings and wore black armbands here. They held a meeting, presided over by SPLA leader Faiz Ahmed Arian, which demanded removal of police officers who ordered their subordinates to resort to violence against peaceful teachers in Karachi. They also demanded inquiry into the incident.

They demanded early issuing of a notification about the already accepted demands of the teachers including promotions and an end to nationalization of educational institutions. The meeting warned that college teachers would continue their protest if the demands were not accepted.

SHIKARPUR: College teachers boycotted classes in the district to protest against the behaviour of the Karachi police to the teachers. SPLA district secretary Iqbal Ahmed Detho announced that the boycott would continue on Saturday to pressurize the government to accept the charter of demands.

THATTA: The SPLA's strike call received a positive response in the district. Teaching and non-teaching staff of the boys and girls degree colleges of Thatta, degree college of Sujawal and intermediate girls college of Sujawal boycotted duties, wore black arm-bands, hoisted black flags on college buildings and convened corner meetings.

Speaking at different meetings, assistant professors Mohammad Ashraf Soomro and Khalid Hassan Khoso and others condemned the police attitude and arrest of academicians in Karachi. They said that college teachers of Thatta would continue to participate in the movement launched by the SPLA.

MIRPURKHAS: Lecturers and professors boycotted classes in the Government Shah Abdul Latif Science College, Government Model Arts and Commerce College and Government Ibne Rushed Girls College here to pressurize the government to accept the demands.