ISLAMABAD: Protesting government employees said on Wednesday that their current salaries are far too low to meet their needs at a time where prices are abnormally high, adding that the situation has forced them to hold a sit-in in Islamabad.

The protesting workers, who came from across the country to gather on Jinnah Avenue near D-Chowk, criticised the government for an abnormal price hike in two years as well as the opposition parties for failing to raise the issue of price hikes properly.

The All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) played a major role in organising the protest, which consisted mostly of non-gazetted employees.

“We came here for our children, for our families. The price hike in daily use items has made our lives very difficult. Sugar is being sold for over Rs100, a bag of flour is being sold for Rs1,300; the prices of vegetables are also beyond our reach,” said Tayyab Bhatti, who came all the way from Vehari.

He said the protest aims to push the government to increase the salaries of employees in accordance with the rate of inflation.

“We have nothing to do with the political affairs of the country and the tussle between the government and opposition parties,” he said.

Junaid Butt, another protester, said that amid high inflation government employees have no choice but to take to the streets for a rise in salaries in accordance with the increase in prices of daily-use items.

Nazia Shaheen, a lady health worker, said she is paid Rs21,000 a month, which goes to rent, utilities and then household items. She said the high prices of nearly all food items have been a source of great stress.

Because the price of petrol has risen, low-grade employees and the public also have to pay higher fairs, she said. Ms Shaheen demanded a 100pc increase in salaries so that low grade employees could live decently.

Mohammad Afzal from Charsadda said the price hike had made the lives of government employees and others miserable.

When asked about the prices of food items, he said: “Please tell me of any food item that is being sold on normal rates. We are upset now; sugar, flour, ghee, grains, lentils, eggs vegetable – everything is being sold at high prices.”

The protesters said that they had nothing to do with the Pakistan Democratic Movement – a platform of opposition parties that is going to hold anti-government public gatherings starting Oct 16.

The protest was a show of strength by government employees at the edge of Jinnah Avenue near D-Chowk, where the PTI in 2014 held a 126-day sit-in against the PML-N government at the time.

The government, however, did not allow government employees to reach D-Chowk, which was sealed with shipping containers.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2020