SAHIWAL: Although a judicial magistrate in Lahore had issued the orders for release of around 200 government employees and teachers arrested by the Islampura Police during a crackdown on their sit-in in front of the Civil Secretariat on Oct 12 but police did not release them and sent them to Kot Lalchpat Jail under the Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960.

Sources told Dawn new detaining order under the Section 3 of the MPO was issued by Lahore Deputy Commissioner Rafia Hyder.

The All Government Employees Grand Alliance (Agega) leaders called it a brutal act where the Punjab gov-ernment and police flouted the court`s order.

A video message of Agega Punjab leaders Rehman Bajwa and Faiz Gillani, released from prison van went viral, in which they categorically stated that police had not released them on the court`s order but rather detained them for 30 days under the MPO.

Khalid Javed Sanghera, the central president of Agega, condemned the Lahore DC`s action, saying it was a violation of the court order. He said the teachers were 1(ept in a prison van for seven to eight hours before they were shifted to the jail. He said the movement for government employees would continue until the withdrawal of cancellation of leave encashment orders.

The government employees, under Agega, are protestingagainstillegalchanges toleave encashment, gratuity and pension rules as well as privatisation of public schools by the caretaker government of Mohsin Naqvi. The Agega leadership gave a protest call and asked all member organisations to stage protests in front of DC offices across Punjab on Oct 16 (today).

Earlier, the Punjab Teacher Union had closed all public sector schools across Punjab over the handover of more than 1,000 schools to a UK-based organisation, Muslim Hands.

Around 20pc of paper setters who were called by the boards from Monday have also announced a boycott. Prof Mustafa, the president of Ittehad-e-Asatiza, confirmed the boycott call.

ENCOUNTER: An accused was killed in an allegedencounter with Ludhan police of district Vehari.

Police claimed the accused, Irfan Saho, was taken by police for recovery of some things as a part of investigation when his accomplices attacked the police team near village Sathrana. They said Saho was wanted in 25 cases registered with the different police stations of district Vehari. He was also challaned in more than 40 cases and was an absconder in two cases. Police claimed Saho was 1(illed in the crossfire between his companions and police. They alleged that Saho was 1(illed with his companion`s firing, a template the department follows in most of the alleged encounter incidents.

INJURED: Three policemen of the Malka Hans Police Station were allegedly injuredwhen the family members and relatives of a suspect attacked the raiding team at village Noor Jang.

Sub-Inspector Rana Shahzad and two constables were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Pakpattan.

Injured Constable Muhammad Ashig said they went to arrest a suspect, Kashif, on the identification of Riaz Kasai but his family and relatives attacked police with stones and sticks. Riaz also escaped from the scene along with Kashif.

Malka Hans Police arrested a companion of Kashif who attacked the police and brought him for further investigation.

DSP Saddar Zahooruddin inquired after the injured policemen at the DHQ Hospital.