KARAK: The Lady Health Workers Association (LHWA) has decided to stage a protest sit-in in Peshawar on September 25 and boycott the upcoming immunisation campaigns if the government fails to release their outstanding dues and issue a notification regularising their services.

This was announced by LHWA district president Kulsoom Sultana while speaking at a press conference here on Saturday. The association’s vice president Zakia Minhas, general secretary Iftikhar Bano, senior vice president Rukhsana Begum and others were also in attendance.

They claimed that the health workers were disturbed due to inordinate delay in issuance of notification of their regularisation, forcing them to pour onto the streets.

The LHWs said that the association’s district office-bearers held a meeting with the provincial president Saeeda Feroz in Peshawar where it was decided that LHWs from across the province would boycott anti-polio and other immunisation campaigns and hold a sit-in in Peshawar on September 25 to force the government to accept their demands.

Demand regularisation, payment of dues

They claimed that the lady health supervisors, lady health workers and other employees would participate in the protest.

HELP TO IDPs: Tanzeem-i-Asataza, Karak chapter has resolved to continue helping the internally displaced persons till their return to their houses.

This was claimed by the association’s office-bearers while distributing tents and wheelchairs among IDPs here on Saturday.

They said that the tribesmen had to face displacement for survival of the country, and expressed optimism that their troubles would come to an end soon. The teachers appreciated the people of southern districts for supporting their brothers in distress.

INCREASE IN PENSION SOUGHT: The local chapter of pensioners’ welfare association has demanded increase in pensions according to the prevailing price hike, and facility of medical allowance.

The demand was made at a meeting on Saturday chaired by district president Akbar Ali Khan Qureshi.

The retired employees expressed concern over unprecedented price hike and demanded of the district administration to ensure proper price check across the district.

They accused the government of not giving any heed to their problems. The participants asked for transferring accounts of thousands of pensioners of Banda Daud Shah from Kohat to Karak GPO so they could draw their pensions without any hindrance.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2014