LAKKI MARWAT: Employees of the municipal committee blocked Bannu-Mianwali road at Kargil Chowk here on Friday to protest against the nonpayment of their salaries and pension for the last three months.

The employees took out a rally from Tanchi office and after passing through Lakki-Mianwali road reached Kargil Chowk. Former city nazim Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Meenakhel led the rally.

The protesters raised slogans against the provincial government for not releasing funds for their salaries. They burnt tyres on the busiest city road and closed it for traffic for about an hour, causing hardships for the transporters and commuters on a hot summer day. Heavy contingent of police also reached the spot to avert any untoward incident.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Meenakhel expressed solidarity with the protesting municipal employees and condemned the government for not paying heed to their genuine demand. He said the employees were without salaries and pension for the last three months, but the higher authorities concerned of the government did not take any practical step to release funds for the purpose.

“The municipal workers are faced with financial hardships in the fasting month and they have no money for Eid shopping for their families,” he said. He asked Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to resolve the issue of salaries and pension of the Lakki municipal committee employees without further delay.

Local Government Employees Federation’s provincial president Anwar Kamal said that the employees of civic body were on the roads for the second time in the last two weeks to demand release of their salaries.

He claimed that he had held several meetings with provincial minister for local bodies and secretaries of the local government and finance departments during the last one month for release of funds, but to no avail.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2014