Government employees to protest for a raise
LAHORE, Oct 28: The All Pakistan Government Employees Federation (APGEF) has announced weekly demonstrations and setting up hunger-strike camps at all district headquarters from Dec 17 and Jan 12, respectively, to press for 100 per cent increase in basic pay.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Federation chairman Haji Abdul Ghaffar Kadezai, secretary-general Haji Fazal Mabood Khan and executive committee members Dr Mumtaz Ahmad Salik, Prof Muhammad Arif, Hafiz Ghulam Muhammad Khosa, Mujeebullah Gharsheen and Zafar Iqbal said demonstrations would be held at all district headquarters on Dec 17 and 24, Jan 14, 21 and 28 and Feb 4. Ten employees would observe a token hunger strike in front of press clubs daily from Feb 12. Similarly, sit-ins would be staged in front of chief minister’s house in Quetta on Jan 21, Karachi on Jan 24, Lahore on Jan 27, Peshawar on Jan 29 and prime minister’s house in Muzaffarabad on Jan 31.
They said the employees would boycott work in all government offices, schools and hospitals from Feb 3. They would reach Islamabad on Feb 6 and surround the Parliament House. They would also hold daily protest demonstrations at all district headquarters from Feb 7.
They said members of the Mutahhida Asatiza Mahaz, All-Pakistan Clerks Association, All-Pakistan Paramedical Staff Federation, Federation of Universities Academic Staff Associations, Education Boards Employees Federation, United Technical Education Teachers Federation, National Organisation of Postal Employees, Pakistan Railways Inqilabi Union (Workshops), Azad Kashmir Mulazmeen Joint Supreme Council and Government Schools Senior Staff Association would participate in the protest programme.