Protests Erupt in Lahore Over Pension Cuts and Leave Encashment
Protests Erupt in Lahore Over Pension Cuts and Leave Encashment
LAHORE: Numerous activists from the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) Punjab demonstrated against reductions in pension, gratuity, and leave encashment.
The demonstration occurred outside the civil secretariat, where employees held placards and banners denouncing the government’s anti-labor policies. The interim Punjab government had released notifications regarding these cuts, leading AGEGA activists to urge Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to reverse them. During the interim government’s tenure, a crackdown on demonstrations resulted in the arrest of numerous AGEGA leaders. They were transported to Jati Umrah for discussions with Maryam Nawaz, who assured them that she would annul the notifications upon taking office. Although they ended the initial demonstration, AGEGA leaders have protested outside the secretariat for several months to remind Maryam Nawaz of her commitment.
The leaders of AGEGA, including Punjab Teachers Union president Rana Anwarul Haq, Rana Liaqat, Nadia Jamshaid, Saeed Namdar, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, Mian Arshad, Tahir Islam, Mirza Tariq, Rana Khalid, Mustafa Wattoo, and Ghafar Awan, spoke to the workers assembled outside the secretariat. They stated that while the government should be increasing employee salaries and pensions, it is instead reducing pensions, gratuities, and leave encashments. They expressed that those who dedicated their youth to public service find themselves abandoned later. They also commented that the government has abolished rule 17-A, which was financially advantageous for the families of deceased employees.
It was announced that the government raised the salaries of parliament members while reducing the pensions and gratuities for employees. Employees declared their intention to stand up for their rights and work towards overturning these detrimental policies. They organized a sit-in in Lahore and Islamabad in protest against the government’s anti-employee measures.
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