Quetta, Jan 27 (IANS) Workers of the Balochistan Employees Grand Alliance (BEGA) held protest rallies in Pakistan’s Quetta and Khuzdar for raising their demands, including the grant of the disparity reduction allowance, local media reported on Tuesday.
The BEGA employees held a rally from Bacha Khan Chowk to the City Police Station in Quetta. After reaching the police station, the demonstrators held a sit-in and shouted slogans against the government, as the authorities had refused to agree to their demands, Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn reported. According to police officials, 11 employees, who participated in the protest voluntarily, presented themselves for arrest.
Government employees held a protest in Khuzdar to raise their demands. The protest was led by the alliance’s district president, Aslam Notani, APCA Kalat Division president Manzoor Naushad, General Secretary Aslam Zahri, Paramedical Staff Association president Rashid Ahmed Ghulamani and Rashida Zahri.
A large number of employees from various government departments were part of the protest, shouting slogans against the government and voicing concern over the delay in agreeing to their demands.
Earlier on January 22, the Unemployed Pharmacists’ Action Committee in Balochistan criticised the government’s decision to announce a limited number of vacancies for more than 2,000 unemployed pharmacists, terming it “equivalent to offering a pinch of cumin to a camel.”
While addressing a press briefing at the Quetta Press Club, UPAC General Secretary Qasim Aziz Mengal termed the decision unacceptable and called for the creation of more positions and transparent as well as merit-based recruitment, Dawn reported.
He termed the appointment of pharmacists to BPS-17 posts through walk-in interviews a non-transparent move aimed at including favoured and recommended people. He alleged that the health department did not have merit and there was no transparency in the recruitment process.
He voiced concerns over the absence and non-appointment of pharmacy departments in private hospitals. He condemned the recent notification released by the health department advertising vacancies of doctors and pharmacists on a contract basis.
Meanwhile, dozens of government employees were arrested in Quetta on January 20 as police blocked a sit-in in the Red Zone, where employees were raising demands for the implementation of the Disparity Reduction Allowance. During the protest, authorities suspended mobile internet services in Quetta and other neighbouring areas, local media reported.
Government employees from Balochistan travelled to Quetta following the sit-in announcement of the alliance of workers’ organisations to raise their demands, The Balochistan Post reported. In recent days, work in many government offices has been affected due to the protest.
Authorities had placed containers at key entry points and completely shut the Red Zone to stop protesters from reaching the site. However, after the road blockade, employees started gathering outside the Quetta Press Club. However, police stopped them from assembling and arrested dozens at the site of the incident.
–IANS
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