Hundreds of AGEGA workers protested outside the Civil Secretariat in Lahore, demanding restoration of pension, gratuity and leave encashment. They also called for a 30pc disparity allowance and a 50pc salary increase.
LAHORE: Hundreds of workers of the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) held a protest outside the Civil Secretariat on Thursday, calling for the restoration of leave encashment, pension and gratuity, along with a 30 per cent disparity allowance and a 50 per cent increase in salaries.
The demonstrators gathered near the Secretariat carrying placards and banners and raised slogans against inflation. They criticised what they described as anti-employee measures and said worsening economic conditions had increased pressure on salaried workers.
Speaking at the protest, AGEGA leaders including Khalid Sanghera, Prof Faiza Rana, Rana Liaqat and Mukhtar Gujjar said government employees in Punjab had faced economic hardship for the past three years. They said several financial benefits had been withdrawn and that there had been delays in meeting their demands.
Demands raised at protest
The speakers said the Punjab government should restore leave encashment, pension and gratuity and implement the 30 per cent disparity allowance without further delay. They also demanded a 50 per cent raise in salaries.
According to the protesters, although the disparity allowance had been announced in the budget, its implementation had remained pending for several months. They urged the government to immediately issue a notification on the recommendations of a committee formed by the chief secretary.
The protest leaders also linked their demands to the broader rise in living costs. Referring to the recent increase in petroleum prices, they said inflation had risen sharply and placed an unbearable burden on salaried individuals, especially government employees.
Concerns over outsourcing and job security
During the rally, speakers also criticised the outsourcing of hospitals and educational institutions. They said the move had negatively affected service delivery in the health and education sectors and had left thousands of workers unemployed.
They further expressed concern over the abolition of the regularisation act, saying the decision had created insecurity among contract employees and affected their morale.
The AGEGA leaders warned that if their demands were not accepted, the alliance would announce its next course of action at a meeting scheduled for April 20.
The demonstration remained focused on financial relief, job security and the reversal of measures the alliance said had harmed public employees in the province.
