Clerks body threatens to launch strike -DAWN - National; February 21, 2003

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February 21, 2003	Friday	Zul Hijjah 19, 1423

Clerks body threatens to launch strike

By Our Reporter

RAWALPINDI, Feb 20: The All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) on Thursday threatened to launch a country-wide strike against the government if the finance ministry failed to accept their 10-point charter of demands by March 20.

The announcement in this regard was made by the APCA central president, Haji Fazal Mabood, in a meeting of the association’s central committee. Representatives from all the provinces and Azad Kashmir participated in the meeting.

The meeting warned that the clerks would resort to demonstrations against the government at district and provincial level if their demands were not given sincere attention.

The 10-point charter included demands like improvement in the salaries of the clerks according to inflation in the country, house rents, medical and travelling allowance, up-gradation in ranks and establishment of a clerks foundation.

The APCA also asked the government to reinforce the privileges, which had been taken back in the special power allowance 2001, and increase the interest rate on GPF to 17 per cent. It also called for paying pension to the clerks after 10 years of their service instead of 20 years.

The association president maintained that 2.2 million clerks and some other government employees were backing their campaign from all over the country. He added that their community was faced with financial problems owing to the everyday increase in the prices of items of daily use, diesel and patrol on one hand and stagnation in the salaries for a long time on the other hand. He also condemned downsizing in various departments.

Mr Mehboob said if their grievances were not resolved, the APCA would hold demonstrations at all 105 districts of the country besides Azad Kashmir, on March 26. If that did not change the attitude of the government then, on April 16, a meeting of the supreme council of the APCA would be held in Lahore to prepare a plan to hold demonstrations till the fulfilment of demands, he added.