Punjab Civil Secretariat. Photo: Facebook
LAHORE:
A protest by the Grand Alliance of government employees outside the Punjab Civil Secretariat entered its third day on Thursday, intensifying pressure on the provincial government to address long-standing service-related demands.
The alliance consists of teachers along with employees from various other government departments.
From early morning, a large number of protesters gathered at the main entrance of the Secretariat, shouting slogans and holding placards calling for immediate policy reversals and formal notifications in their favour.
The demonstration remained largely peaceful, but caused partial traffic disruptions in surrounding areas due to increased police deployment and road diversions.
A feature of the ongoing sit-in was strong participation of women teachers from across Punjab. Women teachers from Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi and the southern districts were seen carrying slogans and addressing the crowd regarding the financial and professional challenges faced by government employees after the recent political changes.
Protesters announced that the sit-in would continue until their demands are accepted and communicated by the provincial government.
Representatives of the Grand Alliance stated that verbal assurances were no longer acceptable and only written communications could end the protest.
One of the key requirements is the legalization of contract employees. Protesters claim that thousands of teachers and other staff have been working on contracts for years despite meeting the eligibility criteria for permanent posts. They demanded the restoration of Rule 17-A, which earlier allowed contract employees to be inducted into permanent service.
Another key demand is the restoration of the old leave encashment notice, which had been revised under recent austerity measures.
According to the protesters, the revised policy has caused financial losses to retiring employees who had planned for their post-retirement lives based on earlier rules.
The alliance has also called for the revival of previous family pension rules, saying changes in the rules have adversely affected the families of deceased government employees. The protesters emphasized that pension is not a privilege but an earned right that ensures family dignity and financial security after retirement or death.
The teachers warned that uncertainty about post-merit benefits was demoralizing educators and affecting the quality of education in public institutions.
Another prominent demand relates to higher education. The protesters demanded that MPhil degree holders be given pay scale 17 and PhD fellows 18. They argued that ignoring merit-based promotions was discouraging teachers from pursuing higher education and research.
On the third day of the protest, government officials reportedly initiated informal contacts with the alliance’s representatives.
Protest leaders expressed disappointment at what they described as “delaying tactics” by the authorities.
Security arrangements remained tight around the civil secretariat with police personnel deployed to prevent any escalation. Despite the heavy presence, the protesters maintained discipline and reiterated their commitment to a peaceful struggle.
