Fire brigade staff call off strike after mayor assures of salary payment

Following the assurance of the city mayor, Wasim Akhtar, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) fire brigade staff members have called off their strike. On Friday the KMC’s fire department had refused to participate in firefighting over non-payment of their salaries.

The fire brigade department of the KMC had been informed about the incident that took place at the Lucky Cement’s office, but they refused to send their fire engines. After their refusal, the Pakistan Navy sent three fire tenders to douse the blaze.

According to an official of the KMC fire brigade department, more than 1,400 employees of the department posted to 24 fire stations across Karachi went on a strike since Thursday morning, halting their operation due to non-payment of fire risk allowance for 18 months. He said the authorities’ ignorance had forced them to go on a strike.

A statement released to the media by the KMC on Saturday read that the fire department will get a month’s fire risk allowance before October 25, while efforts will be made to disburse the fire risk allowance on a regular basis starting next month. All dues will be paid after the approval of the grant by the government.

Akhtar said the fire brigade staff members have the right to protest, but the ongoing strike was not beneficial to anyone. He agreed that the fire department’s demands were just but they also had a very important duty to save human lives and properties, which could not be ignored.

He assured that the KMC is making all-out efforts to solve all their problems, which he said will be ensured as soon as they received the appropriate resources from the provincial government.