KARACHI, March 12: The newly-elected office-bearers of All Pakistan Professors and Lecturer's Association have demanded of the government to exempt teachers' income from tax in future.

Speaking at a press conference, the office-bearers, led by their president, Prof Nazim Husnain, maintained that teachers in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were not subjected to income tax, while Pakistani teachers had to pay a huge amount to government on account of income tax, but in return they were not being provided with any facility.

The APPLA leaders were of the view that the government was adopting, one after another, anti-education policies, while on the other hand teachers who raised voice against privatization of educational institutions, formation of board of governors at some educational institutions, appointment of teachers on contract basis and introduction of model university act, were being continuously victimized.

They warned the government functionaries to shun negative policies and avoid action against teachers, otherwise they would be confronted by teaching community.

APPLA president informed the newsmen that in view of indifferent attitude of government towards their charter of demands, college teachers, who had been protesting against educational high-ups, would observe a black day on April 7 at colleges trough out the country.

The teachers' body alleged that political interference was at its peak at educational institutions, while students organizations working at behest of their patron political parties were also creating law and order situation at the institutions.

College walls were painted with political slogans, while hoisting of party flags on college buildings and display of political leaders' pictures within the educational buildings were also disturbing factors, the teachers said.

The APPLA demands included, promotion of teachers under time scale formula, payment of house rent, grant of medical allowance up to 30 per cent of their salary, conveyance allowance up to 10 per cent, spending 5 per cent of the GNP on education, abolishment of model university act and privatization policies.

The teachers announced that if their demands were not met by April 7, they would resort to march towards Islamabad and stage a sit-in front of parliament building.

Those present at the press conference included Prof Agha Khalid Pathan, Prof Siraj Kakar, Prof Nasrullah and Prof Riaz Ahsan.