Balochistan Residential Colleges are the prestigious and recognized educational institutions in Balochistan. These are the alma maters for many lecturers, bureaucrats, doctors, engineers, and officers. The teachers of these institutions live inside the institutional premises, and look after the students like parents.
Besides delivering lectures in classes, teachers of these institutions visit hostels three times a day to maintain discipline and guide pupils in studies like tutors. For such extra duties, the employees have been entitled to an extra allowance “BRC allowance”, which was frozen in 2015. In the past employees protested for restitution of frozen BRC allowance, but their grievances were never addressed.
Recently, employees of BRC Turbat requested the competent authorities for restoration of BRC allowance, but a positive and satisfactory response was not shown by higher-ups. So, they got compelled to conduct a press conference and decided to go for a symbolic and peaceful protest till the restoration of BRC allowance. They stopped performing extra duties but continued delivering lectures without any disturbance.
All employees of BRC Turbat joined the protest; their demands are due and genuine. Instead of resolving problems, the government has started suspending employees and issuing show cause notices. Other than show cause notices, government is using illegal means to pressurize the staff.
As just a couple of days ago a man introduced himself as Personal Secretary of Secretary Higher Education and threatened the teachers via phone calls to transfer them if they do not remain silent to their issues. These tactics are linked with suspension of respected Sir Meeran to provoke employees for an illegal act.
The Article-19 of Constitution of Pakistan grants the freedom of speech to the citizens and allows them to express their feelings. If freedom of speech and peaceful protest are deemed offences, all employees of Balochistan should be suspended_ specially civil secretariat employees who are protesting in front of Chief Secretary’s office on issue of BCS/BSS shares in services.
Furthermore, it is necessary to highlight the past and present situations of BRC Turbat. The setup and administration of BRCs are different from other colleges. The ex-cadre principals are the root causes of the declension of BRC Turbat as they are unaware of its administration. District Kech should be thankful to ex-CM Balochistan Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch who did not compromise with education and posted Mr. Abdul Kareem (the most senior BRCian) as Principal BRC Turbat on merit. Mr Abdul Kareem had put all his efforts into the revival of BRC Turbat. After Mr. Abdul Kareem’s retirement, the incumbent, inexperienced, incompetent and ex-cadre principal of BRC Turbat, once again, has pushed the college towards deterioration.
Being alumnus of BRC Turbat, I request legislatures, political representatives of district Kech, officers associations, teachers associations, professors and lecturers associations, Students Organizations, civil society and lawyers to play their key role in saving BRC Turbat.
Particularly, the show cause notice and suspension order of Sir Meeran may kindly be withdrawn and the current principal should be dealt with legal actions. Taking into consideration the current situations, the need of hour is to hand over the charge of principalship to Sir Meeran or someone who is competent and responsible.
