GUJRANWALA: Hundreds of incumbent and retired municipal employees staged a massive protest on Tuesday at the Gujranwala Municipal Corporation against the elimination of pensions, gratuity and leave encashment benefits under the IMF-driven agenda.

Protesters, wearing black armbands and headbands, gathered on the office lawns and corridors, holding unique demonstrations, including calls to prayer (Adhan) and symbolic mourning rituals.

They chanted slogans against policies they termed anti-worker and oppressive, while marching through the offices defiantly.

The protest was led by Central General Secretary of the All Pakistan Local Government Workers Federation Nasiruddin Humayun Malik along with other labor leaders. Muhammad Zubair Ansari and his team conducted the Adhan, while participants mourned and beat their chests in protest.

Speeches were delivered by Office Superintendent Muhammad Ali, Pension In Charge Asad Noorani, Usman Sandhu, Shafiq Ansari, Ustad Nazir, Irfan Khokhar, Zafar Rathore Moon, Mudasar Hameed and Syed Shehzad Gilani.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Malik warned that if government-favoured employees failed to support their struggling colleagues today, they too would suffer when their pensions and gratuities were abolished.

He stressed that pension reforms are a life-and-death issue for employees and vowed to escalate protests nationwide if the policies were not reversed.

The protest saw massive participation despite severe cold and fog, with the attendees chanting slogans like “Saada Haq Aithe Rakh” and “Mar Gaye Bhookay, Kha Gaye Siasatdan” (We starve while politicians feast).

The workers vowed to continue their movement until their demands were met, threatening to picket responsible officials’ homes if necessary.

GARBAGE: Heaps of garbage have piled up in front of the Ramgarh Government Primary School, creating a foul-smelling environment that is forcing innocent children to study under highly unhygienic conditions.

The young students staged a protest against the local administration, demanding immediate action.

Community members and parents have also expressed their concern. They urged Assistant Commissioner Sahibzada Jawad Hussain Pirzada to take notice of the issue and implement the Chief Minister’s Clean and Green Punjab initiative.

Residents criticised the negligence of the administration and called upon the commissioner and deputy commissioner to address the matter urgently.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2025