Major roads of Karachi were blocked for hours on Monday after authorities placed containers to block Din Mohammed Wafai Road, Sarwar Shaeed Road and Aiwan-i-Saddar Road in order to prevent protesting nurses from entering the city's Red Zone.

The blockades resulted in traffic jams on Shahrah-e-Faisal, Abdullah Haroon Road, New Preedy Street and many other roads causing inconvenience to citizens, who were stuck for hours. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Karachi South Sharjeel Kharal said that police "feel sorry that the public suffered inconvenience", but added that their foremost responsibility was to secure the chief minister house and governor’s house.

Police dispersed without using force the protesting nurses who were advancing towards the CM House after they tore apart blockades placed near the Karachi Press Club, DIG South said. He added that no cases had been registered against the protesters.

The nurses had been protesting outside the Karachi Press Club for the past five days in order for the government to agree to a host of demands, including promotions and increase in salaries. They had announced they would hold a protest outside CM House today.

While talking to Dawn, Kharal said that nurses had tried to hold a protest outside the CM House five days ago, after which the police had persuaded them to hold talks with health and civil administration officials.

"A commitment was made with the protesting nurses that their demands would be fulfilled but they did not wait for a few days," he claimed. He added that it was the responsibility of concerned departments and civil administration to "deal with such issues" and the police could only arrange meetings between protesters and relevant officials.

The protest came to an end after an agreement was reached in a meeting between the protesting nurses and city government officials. As per a copy of the agreement obtained by Dawn, it was decided that a four-tier formula — prepared in consultation with representatives of nursing staff — will be forwarded for the approval of the competent authority ‘within 10 days’ and consequently, the same shall be notified.

It was also agreed that the matter of professional health allowance, which has already been proposed by health department, will be considered by finance department "in due course of time".

Furthermore, cases of promotions of medical education and health services nursing staff will be expedited and placed in departmental promotion committee and sent for consideration before the concerned forum "within shortest possible time".

The Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) has already been requested to expedite the recruitment process of staff nurses. Other posts will also be sent to SPSC soon after the approval of change of nomenclature of various posts as agreed under the agreement.