KARACHI: The All Sindh Lady Health Workers & Employees Union (ASLHWEU) affiliated with Public Services International (PSI) held a peaceful sit-in on Monday at Teen Talwar Chowrangi, Karachi, earlier dharna was announced to held at Bilawal House but police blocked them and arrested 400 lady health workers and shifted to different police stations.
Union shifted dharna at Teen Talwar Chowrangi and demanded that the Lady Health Worker (LHW) Programme remain under the Health department, Government of Sindh and that their longstanding service structure and retirement-related grievances be resolved immediately.
The protest was attended by Lady Health Workers, Lady Health Supervisors, trade union representatives, labour rights defenders, human rights activists, civil society representatives, and people from different walks of life.
Speaking at the sit-in, Haleema Zulqarnain Laghari, Central President of ASLHWEU, said the workers strongly oppose the outsourcing of the LHW Programme to PPHI or any other private entity.
“Our primary demand is that we should remain under the Health Department and continue working according to the LHW Programme policy. We demand a proper service structure, time-scale promotions, pension and gratuity for our retired employees,” she said.
She said that despite being regularised in 2012, LHWs remain stuck in lower grades even after 14 years of service. The union demanded immediate revision of the scales of LHWs, drivers and Supervisors, along with a proper service structure and regular time-scale promotions.
Shama Gulani, General Secretary of ASLHWEU, said that lower-tier employees should receive the same consideration for scale revision as other provincial government employees. “When officers within the same programme are granted upgraded scales, why are lower-tier workers being denied the same opportunity?” she questioned.
The protesters also demanded restoration of the medicine budget transferred to PPHI, along with maintenance and POL/fuel allowances for Supervisors’ vehicles. They said that, at minimum, adequate district-level funds should be provided through DHOs to ensure uninterrupted access to medicines, repairs and other essential operational resources.
The union’s Senior Vice President Nasira Parveen said that, today’s sit-in is part of an ongoing peaceful struggle that began with a demonstration at Hyderabad Press Club on July 3, followed by protests at BHUs, RHCs and District Headquarters.
The ASLHWEU leadership appealed to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chief Minister & Health Minister Sindh to intervene and protect the LHW Programme, which they described as the legacy of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
“This is Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s programme and legacy. We urge Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to honor that legacy and grant frontline healthcare workers their legitimate rights,” Haleema said.
The union leadership called for immediate dialogue with the Sindh government and urged trade unions, labour organisations, human rights activists and civil society to support their peaceful struggle for dignity, job security, fair career progression and justice.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026