Police break up protest by govt employees

PESHAWAR: Police used baton charge and fired tear gas shells on Monday to break up a large protest by government employees who had gathered near the KP Assembly building to demand better salaries and the resolution of other issues.

Hailing from various departments, the employees had announced a sit-in on Khyber Road under the banner of the All Government Employees Grand Alliance to press for acceptance of their demands, including better salaries, pensions, and a disparity allowance, etc.

Thousands of government employees from across the province assembled near Government High School No. 1 on GT Road and then marched in a rally towards the assembly building, where they staged a protest and chanted slogans against the provincial government.

The protesters blocked Khyber Road for vehicular traffic and expressed their anger over the government’s fiscal policies. They remained at the site for almost three hours in the scorching heat.