RAWALPINDI: The cash-strapped Rawalpindi Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) has terminated the services of 236 daily wagers due to reduced annual funding from the Punjab government.
A senior PHA official told Dawn that in the current fiscal year, the Punjab government had reduced the authority’s annual funding to Rs252 million from Rs373 million, forcing it to lay off temporary staff to ensure the smooth payment of monthly salaries to permanent employees.
He said the PHA had more than 900 workers, and the services of 236 had been terminated with immediate effect, forcing the remaining staff to work extra hours. He said the authority had written a letter to the Punjab government, informing it of the situation and requesting an increase in its annual funding.
He said the PHA had no income of its own, which had forced it to dismiss the staff. He said in recent development works, such as Kutchery Chowk and Ring Road, the provincial government had provided less money instead of allocating one per cent of the total cost of the projects.
Authority says Punjab government reduced annual funding to Rs252 million from Rs373 million
He said the provincial finance department had been informed about the situation, adding that there was a shortage of funds with the Punjab government, which had imposed financial cuts on many projects in the division.
When contacted, PHA Director General Ahmed Hassan Ranjha said that no permanent staff had been removed, but due to financial constraints, the authority had decided to lay off temporary staff who had been hired for three months on a need basis.
He admitted that the Punjab government had provided less funding, forcing the authority to take the difficult decision.
He said the services of more than 200 workers had been hired on a temporary basis.
On the other hand, the PHA Staff Workers Union and various CBA unions across the city staged a massive protest outside the Rawalpindi Press Club against the alleged unjustified dismissal of 236 employees of the PHA.
The protesters demanded the immediate reinstatement of the dismissed employees and measures to secure their economic future. The protest was led by PHA Staff Workers Union General Secretary Pastor Shahid Raza, Asim Rashid, Municipal Labour Union President Raja Haroon and other leaders of various CBA unions across the city.
The protesters raised slogans against the dismissals and demanded that the Punjab government and the relevant authorities take immediate notice.
Addressing the protesters, the union leaders said that the sudden dismissal of 236 PHA employees was a blow to their economic rights. These employees had served the institution for a long time and helped make the city green and beautiful.
“The workers played their role, but by depriving them of their jobs, their families have been put through severe economic hardship,” said Pastor Shahid Raza.
He said that instead of firing the employees, their problems should be resolved and long-serving employees should be provided with job security. The government and the PHA administration should immediately review the decision to fire them and reinstate all 236 employees.
He said that all the CBA unions in the city had been brought together on one platform to protect the rights of the employees. If the problems of the employees were not resolved, the scope of the protest would be further expanded and the future course of action would be decided in consultation with all CBA unions, he said.
Union leaders said that instead of limiting the problems of the employees to mere assurances, practical steps should be taken.
They demanded that all the dismissed employees be immediately reinstated, their dues paid, and the financial and job security of the employees ensured in the future.
The protesters expressed their determination to continue the struggle until the rights of the employees were secured and said that if their demands were not accepted, the scope of the protest would be expanded throughout the city.
Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2026
