May 9, 2002	Thursday	Safar 25, 1423

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QUETTA, May 8: Balochistan government has termed the ongoing strike of its low-grade employees, including teachers, illegal and without any justification.

A spokesman for the provincial government on Wednesday expressed disappointment over the attitude of the striking employees, and said they were mustering the support of those political parties which, ironically, had created this problem during their tenure, and used this issue for their petty political gains.

“There is no justification of strike for additional allowance when the Federal Government has already announced enhanced new pay scale last year,” the spokesman said adding that the provincial government would not bow before the blackmailing tactics of the strikers.

Disciplinary measures, he said, were being taken to cope with the situation, which also included termination from services.

The spokesman appealed particularly to the parents to support these measures so that uninterrupted educational activities be ensured.

He also appealed to the Press for analyzing the situation in its true perspective, refraining from publishing “exaggerated and politically motivated reports.”

In the meanwhile, 42 striking employees of the Education Department ended their protest and joined their duty on Wednesday, whereas the government terminated the services of 177 more striking employees of different departments with immediate effect, owing to their “unlawful protest”.

According to an official notification issued here, the terminated employees include junior and senior-scale stenographers, junior and senior clerks, assistants, drivers and Naib Qasids.

Out of the terminated 177 employees, 92 belonged to the board of revenue, 27 worked in the law department, 34 in communication and works, 13 in the department of culture, information and information technology and 11 were employed in the education department.

The sacked employees may appeal within 15 to the provincial chief secretary.

The notification said the government had issued show-cause notices to these employees on their addresses and through newspapers, and had directed them to join their duties, but they did not take notice of the warnings.