Govt employees’ sit-in enters 3rd day

LAHORE:

A protest by the Grand Alliance of government employees outside the Punjab Civil Secretariat entered its third day on Thursday, intensifying pressure on the provincial government to address long-standing service related demands.

The alliance comprises teachers along with employees of various other government departments.

From early morning, a large number of protesters gathered at the secretariat’s main entrance, chanting slogans and holding placards calling for immediate policy reversals and formal notifications in their favour.

The demonstration remained largely peaceful but caused partial traffic disruptions in surrounding areas due to increased police deployment and road diversions.

A feature of the ongoing sit-in was strong participation of women teachers from across Punjab. Female educators from Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi and the southern districts were seen leading sloganeering and addressing the crowd regarding the financial and professional challenges faced by government employees after recent policy changes.

The protesters announced that the sit-in would continue until their demands are accepted and notified by the provincial government.

Representatives of the Grand Alliance stated that verbal assurances were no longer acceptable and only written notifications could end the protest.

One of the central demands is the regularisation of contract employees. Protesters argue that thousands of teachers and other staff members have been working on contracts for years despite fulfilling eligibility criteria for permanent positions. They demanded the restoration of Rule 17-A, which previously allowed contract employees to be absorbed into permanent service.

Another key demand is the restoration of the old leave encashment notification that had been revised under recent austerity measures.

According to the protesters, the revised policy has caused financial losses to retiring employees who had planned their post-retirement lives based on earlier rules.

The alliance has also called for the revival of previous family pension rules, stating that changes in the regulations have adversely affected the families of deceased government servants. The protesters emphasised that pension is not a privilege but an earned right that ensures family dignity and financial security after retirement or death.

The teachers warned that uncertainty over post-service benefits was demoralising educators and affecting the quality of education in public sector institutions.

Another prominent demand relates to higher education qualifications. The protesters demanded that MPhil degree holders be granted Payscale 17 and PhD scholars 18. They argued that ignoring qualification-based promotions discouraged teachers from pursuing higher education and research.

On the third day of the protest, government officials reportedly initiated informal contacts with alliance representatives.

Protest leaders expressed disappointment over what they described as “delaying tactics” by the authorities.

Security arrangements remained tight around the Civil Secretariat with police personnel deployed to prevent any escalation. Despite the heavy presence, protesters maintained discipline and reiterated their commitment to a peaceful struggle.