Court restores 60 teachers after being removed of having links with Taliban

Peshawar, March 16, 2011 (PPI): Service Tribunal on Tuesday restored 60 teachers belong to Swat, Buner and Dir lower who were dismissed from the services for having alleged links with Tehreek Taliban and Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) of Sufi Mohammad.

Khyber Pukhtunkhwa government had removed 60 teachers from services after investigation that they were involved with Taliban and working to support militants’ manifesto.

Chairman of the Service Tribunal Qalandar Ali and other member of the tribunal after hearing arguments from both the sides ordered restoration of the teachers on their jobs.

Prosecution while arguing in favour removal of these teachers opined in the court that these government employees had close links with Taliban and TNSM and they were working to support their ideology. Owing to their links with militant groups they were removed from the service, the public prosecutors argued in the court.

However the defending lawyer Nawab Ali said prosecution could not presented any witness or document in the court which could support the government claim to establish links of the teachers with militant groups therefore removal of his clients from services in different districts of Malakand division was illegal.

Teachers from Timargarah Dir lower, Swat and Buner had challenged their removal in the service tribunal. On behalf of the teachers Mohammad Hussain, Mohammad Jamil, Asfandyar and Ansar Ali appeared in the court.

The prosecution however vowed to file appeal against the decision.