KARACHI, Sept 30: A large number of sanitary workers of Saddar Town staged a protest demonstration at the Karachi Press Club on Saturday against non-payment of their wages for the last couple of months.

Holding banners and placards inscribed with their demands, the sanitary workers chanted slogans against the Saddar Town administration for not giving them the salary. They alleged that the administration was demanding bribe for giving them the salary, but when they refused they were threatened that their salary for five to six days would be deducted.

The sanitary workers, all of them belonging to the minority communities, said that though they had worked overtime and even on their weekly off days during the monsoon rains and the town administration at that time had promised to give them additional payment. However, they regretted that no additional payment was made. They further said that they were even being threatened that their salaries would be deducted if they did not pay the bribe.

Demanding immediate payment of their two-month salary, they said that sanitary workers employed in other towns had been paid salaries.

They alleged that a large number of Muslims had been appointed as sanitary workers, who remained absent from duties and got their salaries on time. They urged the government to hold an in-depth probe to find out how many Muslim sanitary workers had been appointed and how many of them were actually performing their duties.