Pension reforms: Several injured as protesting KP govt employees tear-gassed, baton-charged

PESHAWAR: The police on Thursday used tear gas shells and baton-charged the government employees who had gathered outside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to protest the so-called pension reforms.

Organised by the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGIGA), the protest resulted in dozens of employees being injured, while several others were arrested.

The government employees had gathered at City No. 1 School and marched from Firdous Chowk to the KP Assembly, blocking Khyber Road for hours, which caused severe traffic congestion across the city. Police intervened to clear the road, leading to a violent confrontation as demonstrators were forced back to GT Road near Bala Hisar Fort.

In response to the police action, AGIGA announced that a province-wide “Black Day” would be observed today (Friday) in all government institutions. The alliance also postponed its sit-in protest in Peshawar, stating that employees would now focus on participating in the February 10 protest in Islamabad.

Speaking at a late-night meeting, AGIGA Chairman Wazir Zada Buneri and General Secretary Niaz Ali Khattak condemned the police crackdown and declared their commitment to continue protesting against the reforms. “Our demands are clear - pension reforms and the CP Fund policy are unacceptable. The government must address our concerns or face ongoing protests,” said Wazir Zada.During the protest, demonstrators accused the provincial government of deceiving employees under the guise of pension reforms.

They argued that pensions are a fundamental right for employees and criticized the reforms as unfair and exploitative.

Employees also raised concerns over additional taxes being imposed on them and chanted slogans against the government.

The protest leaders, including AGIGA Provincial Chairman Wazir Zada, Samiullah Khalil, and Provincial Information Secretary Asif Afridi, highlighted their demands, which include rejecting pension reforms, opposing the CP Fund policy, and reinstating the quota for children of deceased employees.They criticized the government for remaining silent on their charter of demands and vowed to intensify their struggle.

The protest caused significant disruption in Peshawar, with Khyber Road completely blocked, resulting in massive traffic jams across major city thoroughfares. Commuters faced difficulties as the city grappled with the chaos.

The AGIGA announced that after the February 10 protest in Islamabad, they would strategize future protests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure their demands are met.