Peshawar:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government employees organized a demonstration at Assembly Chowk on Monday, demanding a salary increase in accordance with inflation, an disparity allowance of 30% similar to the federal model and the implementation of a minimum monthly salary of 50,000 rupees. The demonstrators blocked Khyber Road for all types of traffic, resulting in significant disturbances in the city.
Bearing signs and banners, the demonstrators chanted slogans against the provincial government. They criticized the recent increases in remuneration and pension – 10% and seven percent respectively – as insufficient in the face of arrow inflation. The demonstrators demanded an disparity allowance of 30% similar to federal employees, a 50% increase in online wages with inflation, a minimum wage of 50,000 rupees.
They also demanded the transition from employees of the CP fund to the GP fund and the withdrawal of laws recently imposed on pension reform.
The head of the opposition in the assembly of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Dr. Ibadullah, joined the demonstration and assured the demonstrators that their requests were legitimate. He undertook to express their concerns on the soil of the Provincial Assembly and to give voice to their grievances in the legislative forum.
The demonstration caused major traffic jams on GT Road, creating difficulties for commuters in the stifling heat. Attempts to negotiate the police and the protest leaders failed, which prompted the deployment of additional police forces. The organizations responsible for the application of laws finally used bombing of tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Following the police action, the demonstrators dissolved and traffic was gradually restored.
Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Muhammad Humayun Khan firmly condemned the use of tear gas and violence against the protest of government employees in the Chowk Assembly, qualifying the deeply disturbing and unacceptable incident.
He said the PPP denounces the brutal treatment inflicted on government employees who simply demanded an increase in their salary. “The scenes of the assembly of Chowk are painful. Those looking for legitimate salary increases should not be treated as enemies,” he noted.
Criticizing the provincial government led by the PTI, Humayun Khan said it was unable to deliver anything beyond exploitation. “Why is the government disturbed by equitable wage requests? Even during difficult economic times, the PPP increased the salaries of civil servants,” he added.
He also declared that the lower quality employees fell below the poverty line and that the economic exploitation of government employees will only bother national progress. “We recognize the democratic law of the demonstrators and we are united with them,” said Khan.
He condemned the use of tear gas and batons, in particular against demonstrating women, describing it as reprehensible act. “Officials are not enemies – they are poor Pakistanis are asking for their rights. The government’s violent response is absolutely intolerable.”
Khan has called on the provincial government to accept legitimate employee requests and immediately release those who have been arrested. “Each citizen has the right to protest peaceful. He should never be deleted by force,” he concluded.
