Govt employees protest for withdrawal of pension reforms

Islamabad:Thousands of government employees gathered in Islamabad for a large-scale protest under the banner of the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA), demanding withdrawal of pension reforms and improved pay and allowances. This protest, marking the second stage of their ongoing campaign, was also mirrored in provincial headquarters across the country.

The employees marched from the Finance Division Pak Secretariat to the Parliament building. The rally was led by AGEGA Chief Coordinator Rehman Ali Bajwa. Addressing the crowd in front of the Parliament, Bajwa highlighted the disparities in pay, pointing out that while salaries of judges, parliamentarians, and other influential government servants had been significantly raised, the other employees in the public sector had been left behind.

Former office bearers of the Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA), Professor Javaid Iqbal Gondal, Tasneem Akhter Mir and Rahima Rehman also joined the protest, urging the government to reverse recent pension reforms that they believed were detrimental to the government servants.

The protestors demanded a 200% increase in house rent, medical, and conveyance allowances, citing the recommendations made by the Pay and Pension Committee in 2020. Rehman Bajwa stressed the need for improved management and restructuring of public institutions to enhance efficiency, instead of resorting to privatization.

Addressing the demonstration, President of the National Labour Federation (NLF), Shamsur Rehman Swati supported demands of Government employees. He said the Government was following policy of privatization of Railways, hospitals, schools, electricity distribution companies and other entities under the IMF agenda. He said that privatization of these entities would render tens of thousands Government employees as jobless.

The protesters voiced their demands for the regularization of all contract and daily wage employees, the restoration of employees removed under the government’s rightsizing scheme, and the withdrawal of recent tax hikes on employee salaries. They warned that if the government failed to meet their demands by February 10, 2025, they would stage an indefinite sit-in in front of the Parliament building until their concerns were addressed.