Police used tear gas and a water cannon to disperse protesting primary school teachers from various districts of Sindh outside the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday, detaining several demonstrators demanding the restoration of their service structure, promotions and other employment-related rights. The protesters, representing the Primary School Teachers Association, staged a sit-in outside the press club before attempting to march towards the Chief Minister's House. The Express Tribune witnessed police personnel preventing the demonstrators from reaching their destination by firing tear gas shells and using a water cannon to disperse them. The action also affected people working in nearby offices. Following the protest, roads surrounding the Karachi Press Club were closed to traffic, while Sir Syed Road was also shut. Traffic was diverted towards Aiwan-e-Sadr Road and Zainab Market, according to traffic police. Also Read: JI announces protest against prolonged loadshedding The protesting teachers demanded the restoration of their service structure and an upgrade in their pay grades, saying several years had passed without the promised upgradation. They also called for permanent status to be granted to teachers from the dates of their initial appointments. They further sought a review of the transfer policy, demanding that teachers' transfers be handled at the district level instead of through the Sindh Secretariat. The protesters also called for the abolition of the Cluster Hub Policy and the withdrawal of the decision to merge smaller government schools into larger institutions, arguing that the move was adversely affecting the education system. The teachers announced that their protest and sit-in would continue until all their demands were accepted. This story is being updated.