PESHAWAR: Government employees on Tuesday protested to push for provision of 30 per cent increase in disparity reduction allowance (DRA), their upgradation and restoration of the old pension system.

In Peshawar, the protesting employees gathered outside the press club under the banner of All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) and All Government Employees Coordination Council, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The speakers, including AGEGA chairman Haider Ali Khan Astanzai, Samiullah Khalil, Azizullah Khan, Sirajuddin Barki and others, demanded of the government to end the ‘exploitation’ of over 600,000 of its employees

They said instead of implementing economic reforms in the province, the provincial government was pushing poor employees against the wall by continuously imposing cuts on their pensions.

Also call for upgradation, 30pc increase in disparity reduction allowance

Besides, they said the federal government had restored the old pension system, but the provincial government was still resorting to delaying tactics.

The speakers said in the current budget, the federal government gave a 30 per cent DRA to eliminate disparities in the salaries of government employees, but the provincial government had disappointed its employees.

They also rejected the move to abolish Class-IV employees’ posts. They said so far, no action had been taken regarding the upgradation and regularisation of teachers. They said the government should immediately issue a notification for upgradation of teachers approved by the cabinet.

The speakers also demanded of the authorities to issue a notification for the regularisation of teachers appointed in 2022.

The speakers also demanded an end to contributory pension fund.

Later, the employees dispersed peacefully, chanting slogans in favour of their demands.

The government employees also held protest demonstrations in other districts, demanding DRA, upgradation and pension benefits.

In Lower Dir, government employees took to the streets following a pen-down strike to press for their demands.

Hundreds of employees belonging to various departments marched from Balambat to Shaheed Chowk Timergara, where they staged a demonstration outside the press club.

The protesters shouted slogans against the provincial government and warned that they would march on Peshawar if their ‘legitimate demands’ were not accepted.

The AGEGA Lower Chitral chapter rejected the 15pc increase in the DRA and demanded that it be increased to 30pc.

Addressing a protest meeting, AGEGA leaders Ziaur Rehman, Zahid Alam, Maulana Safirullah and others also condemned the elimination of employee shares in laboratories established in government hospitals.

The government employees in Shangla also held a protest rally in Aloch Bazaar, strongly opposing pension reforms.

In Bannu, government employees under the banner of AGEGA staged a protest demonstration outside the press club to press for resolution of their longstanding financial and service-related issues.

The protesters demanded that the government immediately stop the ‘economic exploitation’ of its employees in the name of pension reforms.

Protest demonstrations were also held in Charsadda, Malakand, Swat, Mardan, Bajaur, Dera Ismail Khan and other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2025