ISLAMABAD: The All-Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) staged a protest on Constitution Avenue while the budget was being presented in the National Assembly on Friday.

Earlier, AGEGA had announced that it would hold the protest in front of Parliament House. In response to the protest call and in connection with the budget presentation, the capital police tightened security in and around the Red Zone and deployed about 2,000 personnel, including officials from the Rawalpindi police.

In addition, the Red Zone was partially sealed as a large number of government employees from other parts of the country were also expected to participate in the protest. The entry points of the Red Zone, except from Margalla Road and Khayaban-i-Suhrawardy, were opened for controlled entry.

Journalists were also stopped at different points even though they had their organisations’ and parliament press gallery cards. The media persons were allowed entry after arguments.

Government employees stationed in Islamabad started assembling at Secretariat Chowk at noon. Later, employees from other parts of the country also arrived and joined the protest gathering.

The protest followed two days of demonstration outside the ministry of finance, demanding inclusion of their demands in the budget.

The demands included implementation of the March 2025 agreement, merger of all ad hoc relief allowances into the basic pay, revision of pay scales, 50 per cent salary increase for employees getting less than 50,000 per month, 200 per cent increase in conveyance, medial and house rent allowances and the withdrawal of pension reforms.

Besides, they also demanded a 30 per cent disparity reduction allowance, removal of 25 per cent tax slab for teachers and researchers, regularisation of daily wage and contractual employees, restoration of employment quotas for families of deceased employees and minimum monthly wage of Rs50,000 for government employees.

The number of protesters reached over 500 till the afternoon and the participants made an attempt to march towards the Parliament House. However, the police intercepted them which led to a physical confrontation.

The police resorted to baton charge to disperse the protestors and pushed them back.

Till filing of this report at 9pm, the protest was continuing at the Secretariat Chowk.

AGEGA’s media coordinator Syed Mohammad Miraj told Dawn: “We are not satisfied with the seven per cent increase in salaries and pension. It is not more than peanuts.” He said the protest will continue, adding: “We will decide our further line of action later.”

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2026