SARGODHA: Hundreds of workers, recruited last year for dengue and polio field work, staged a sit-in on Khushab-Sargodha road at the DHQ Teaching Hospital Chowk on Monday and blocked it for traffic.

Speaking to the media, they said their salaries for the last six months were not paid and instead they were dismissed from service without notice despite the fact that their services were availed during difficult times of Covid-19.

They said the health chief executive officer and the divisional commissioner had assured them that their demands would be accepted and their pending salaries would be paid but nothing happened.

They demanded letters for one year more extension as well as payment of salary of six months. Women protesters who were carrying their infants along told the media that they were unable to get milk and other food for their children.

The protesters were carrying banners and placards inscribed with their demands.

The traffic remained blocked for some hours. The assistant commissioner after prolonged dialogue succeeded to convince the protesters to end their protest.

Published in Dawn, Jannuary 5th, 2021