BAHAWALPUR: A large number of teachers from government schools took to the streets on Monday against a written test scheduled for today (Tuesday) to be conducted by the district education authority (DEA) to test the teachers` capability.

Hundreds of male and female teachers of government primary schools holding banners and placards assembled at Islamia University Chowk, marched on DPO Road and blocked DPO Chowk.

They shouted slogans against the administradonandeducadon department and announced boycott of the test.

Representatives of the protesters said primary schoolteachers had planned to boycott the test meant to assess their capabilities scheduled for today.

They maintained that the education authority had threatened to terminate their services and retire them forcibly including those teachers with 25 years of experience or more if they failed to pass the test.

Due to the protest, trafñc on the roads and DPO Chowk was blocked and pedestrians also faced inconvenience.

DEA Chief Executive Officer Chaudhry Bashir Ahmad who had reached there for a dialogue also argued with the media covering the protest.

He said the media was unnecessarily creating hype around the incident.

However, Additional Deputy Commissioner Chaudhry Saleem inter-vened and managed to control the situation.

When contacted, Bahawalpur District Education Officer Ali Ahmed claimed students of Class III of government primary schools had shown unsatisfactory performance in their tests after which the local administration had decided to conduct a written test to assess the teachers`capacity.

He said the test was earlier scheduled for June 17 but on the teachers` request to allow them time to prepare, it was rescheduled for July 4. He admittedthatthe teacherswould have to face the music if they failed the test.

OVERTURNED: Panic gripped the bazaars of Lodhran on Monday when diesel started to spill out of a truck that had overturned on a road.

A potato-laden truck passing through the city hit a median and overturned after the driver allegedly felt drowsy. Its fuel started leaking out on the road from its tank and scared the passersby, who started to run helter-skelter. This caused panic in the nearby thickly populated areas.

Police and rescue sources said that within no time the situation was brought under control by police and other related departments, including civil defence and Rescue 1122. The area was cordoned off to keep people away.

STRIKE: On the call of Punjab Bar Council, local lawyers skipped work to mourn deaths in the oil tanker tragedy as well as celebrate the release of MNA Jamshed Dasti.