RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation (RMC) employees will stage a protest on Saturday (today) against shopkeepers of Sadiqabad who resisted them while they were launching an anti-encroachment drive on Thursday afternoon.

During the scuffle between RMC employees and shopkeepers, two RMC employees and a policeman were injured critically and taken to Benazir Bhutto Hospital.

After the incident, the Municipal Workers League (CBA) announced to stage a protest in the city and threatened the government to take action otherwise employees of the Rawalpindi Municipal Waste Company will stop lifting garbage from Monday (Feb 23).

On Friday, talks were held between Commissioner (Rawalpindi Division) retired Captain Mohammad Mahmood and employees’ union .

Municipal Workers League President Haji Farooq asked the commissioner to amend the First Information Report (FIR) and add non-bailable section as employees had been put through torture.

After the meeting, he said if our demand to include more sections in the FIR is not accepted, RMC employees will observe pen down strike and expand the protest.

He said that the first rally will be held at Press Club Liaquat Bagh on Saturday after a demonstration outside RMC Rawalpindi at 11:30 pm.

Mr Mehmood assured employees that the police and administration would take action against those who tried to keep government officials from performing their duties.

He also contacted local police chief and asked to complete the investigation as soon as possible.

He said that RMC employees were working hard to implement the government’s directives to remove all encroachments in the city.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2020