Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The plight of protesting Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) daily wagers could not attract former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif during their appearance in an accountability court (NAB) on Tuesday, as they went pass the wretched employees amid overwhelming protocol and did not bother to utter a single word for them.

Holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans to ‘impress’ the PML-N duo, the FDE daily wagers had gathered outside the accountability court to catch the attention of former premier and her daughter but all their slogans and hopes withered away as both the PML-N leaders perhaps could not heard their cries.

One of the protesting daily wagers said, “PM Education reforms programme teachers are still on daily wages. Why we are being treated in a discriminatory way?”

The protesters requested Nawaz Sharif to fulfil his commitment he made with in 2015 for their jobs regularization. The former prime minister had assured them of resolution of their demands during the opening ceremony of a women’s college in 2015. However, the issue remains the same.

Talking to Daily Times a protester said that the “orthodox” approach of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz had disappointed all of them. However, he said, “We are committed and will continue our strike until acceptance of our demands.”

Meanwhile, the demonstration FDE daily wagers in front of National Press Club entered 20th day on Tuesday. They have long been demanding regularisation of their jobs and release of pending salaries.

Currently, around 2,250 daily wagers are serving in 423 educational institutes of the FDE.

They have boycotted classes in their respective schools and colleges. So far, the FDE daily wagers had staged many demonstrations and strikes but of no avail. Several forums, including Supreme Court, lower courts and standing committees of both the houses had issued directives for their regularisation.

In 2009, a Committee for Regularisation of Contractual Employees had directed authorities concerned to regularise some 100,000 daily wagers, who had been working at various federal departments and ministries.

A few years ago, as per the information, the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Ministry regularised thousands of employees in the light of the committee’s recommendations.

Besides, in two different notifications on December 12 and December 22 last year, a copy of which is available with Daily Times, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training also confirmed regularisation of 63 employees.

Furthermore, after coming into power in 2013, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government regularised over 11,000 employees of various cadres working in different federal entities.

Published in Daily Times, January 24^th 2018.