ISLAMABAD: The talks between the government and All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) on Wednesday succeeded to fulfil their demands and thee protesting employees are expected to end their sit in.
The APCA and lady health workers were jointly protesting against inflation, and were demanding of the government to increase their salaries proportionate to the prevailing inflation in the country.
The government employees protesting under the umbrella of the APCA are expected to their sit-in after successful negotiation with the government, sources said.
However, the lady health workers decided to continue their sit-in at D-Chowk as the committee negotiating with them comprising officials of the Ministry of Health told their representatives that their demands came under the domain of the provincial government, and they would deal with it.
Earlier, a large number of government employees under the umbrella of the APCA, other associations as well as lady health workers from across the country, gathered outside the National Press Club to stage a protest The protesters also included teachers, pensioners, labourers, railway workers, students, technical employees, farmers, and other unions, associations.
The protesting government employees were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans in support of their demands. The government employees after gathering outside the National Press Club marched towards D-Chowk for staging a sit outside the Parliament House. They said that they would continue their protests at D-Chowk till the fulfillment of their demands.
The district administration placed some shipping containers around Red Zone to block entry of protesters towards the Parliament House.
Heavy contingent including officials from the Counter Terrorism Department, Anti-Terrorism Squad, Anti-Riot Unit and reserves were deployed in and around the Red Zone in three rings in order to avert any untoward incident.
Protesters tried to break the barricades and to stage protest outside the parliament but police and Rangers did not allow them to move forward from D-Chowk.
The government employees demanded increase in their salaries, as well as increase in medical and conveyance allowance.
The protesting lady health workers said that government also so far had not paid allowances promised with them in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Later, two teams of protesters and two separate government committees, one from the Ministry of Health and another from the Ministry of Finance started negotiations with the protesters with respect to their demands.
The lady health workers announced to continue their sit-in till the fulfillment of demands, after the government team told them that their demands related to promotion and up-gradation were provincial matter; therefore, it could be dealt at provincial level.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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