May 8, 2002	Wednesday	Safar 24, 1423

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QUETTA, May 7: The leaders of the striking government employees have threatened to commit self-immolation in front of the Governor House and other important places if 40 per cent special allowance was not approved for the employees of the Quetta district.

Speaking at a press conference, the senior vice-president of the Balochistan Civil Secretariat Employees Association, Irfan Sarpara, said the struggle for an increase of 40 per cent special allowance would continue despite the arrests of around 300 employees.

The government had terminated the jobs of over 1,200 striking employees of various departments and that job termination letters of some more employees were ready, he said, adding that such action could not force the employees to abandon their struggle.

Mr Sarpara said the government had issued a notification of 20 per cent special allowance and a group of employees had accepted it, but most employees had rejected the notification.

He denied that a large number of employees had joined their duties, saying that from May 9, the employees of other districts of the province would join the strike to express solidarity with the striking employees of Quetta.

Mr Sarpara alleged that the chief secretary was trying to create misunderstanding between the employees and the governor. He also denied the claim of the government that the employees working in the civil secretariat were already getting additional Rs1,000 per month.

The police arrested two striking employees outside the press club. Some leaders, including the senior vice-president of the association, escaped from the press club.