ISLAMABAD: A large number of bankers gathered at D-Chowk, demanding restoration of Saturday as weekly off, even threatening to take the holiday if the government did not revert its decision.

The government has abolished the weekly holiday of Saturday for federal government offices and also asked the State Bank to apply the decision in the banking sector.

Despite the heat, the bankers came to the protest site after finishing their work. The protest call was only shared on social media and among WhatsApp groups of various bank employees.

“The government has made an irrational decision,” said Farhan Amjad Abbasi, one of the protesters and an employee of a private bank.

“Apart from abolishing the Saturday off, they have revised the bank opening time from 10am to 8am in Ramazan,” he said, adding that, “the fact is that there is hardly any client and customer in the first two hours during Ramazan days”.

Speakers said to open a bank for public dealing, staff and officers have to reach there at least half an hour early, so they get up at 6am or 6:30am. But the staff cannot leave the bank before 5pm in these days, so there is a limited time to rest.

“The issue is that in the banking industry nothing can be left for the next day; all activities including cash handling and deposits, withdrawal, transfers, etc,. have to be closed before leaving the branch,” said Abdullah, another banker.

It was announced that there would be another protest on Monday and the bankers were asked to take leaves on Saturdays to pressure the government.

The employees of the State Bank and the state-owned National Bank also participated in the protest.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2022