RAWALPINDI, May 30: Clerks will observe a pen-down strike on Wednesday to protest against unemployment, privatisation, contract system, increase in POL prices and persistent price- hike.

According to a press release, the strike call has been given by the All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA).

In this regard, a meeting of the APCA Rawalpindi chapter was held here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of its Senior Vice- President Raja Arshad Bangial.

The meeting observed that the government employees were affected by the increasing inflation and they found it hard to make ends meet. Therefore, the government should announce 100 per cent increase in their pay and allowances before the federal budget 2006-07, it added.