Pakistan: Govt employees launch sit-in against pension regulations in Lahore

LAHORE: The All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) have started a sit-in outside the Civil Secretariat in Lahore in protest of the proposed sale of public schools, changes to pension rules, and a halt to leave encashment, Dawn reported.

Along with members of the All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA), 34 organisations of employees from other ministries of the Punjab government, including health, education, and higher education, participated in the sit-in.

Throughout the day, the demonstrators chanted insults at the caretaker administration and Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The Civil Secretariat was blocked off by barriers, and police were stationed on the Lower Mall, Dawn reported.

Chaudhry Sarfraz, president of the Punjab Teachers Union, claimed that the union will not permit the government's anti-labour and anti-worker policies to be carried out. He added that nobody from the administration showed up at the protest to talk with the protesters and that they would not end the sit-in until their legal requests were met.

The government recently stated that it will hand over control of the public schools to non-governmental organisations, ban employees from cashing in their vacation days, and amend the pension rules.

All government department staff were concerned about the problem, Dawn reported. The demonstration was joined by employee associations from across the province and their officer-bearers.