MUZAFFARABAD, Dec 21: A former employee of the AJK education department who had been sent on 'forced retirement' three years ago staged a token hunger strike on the premises of the old Civil Secretariat on Tuesday.

Mohammad Idrees Khan worked at the high school in Kharik as junior clerk when he was sent on 'forced retirement' on October 22, 2001 on charges of misconduct. Since then he has been running from pillar to post to get himself reinstated.

Holding a banner inscribed with the details of his 'plight', Mr Khan told Dawn that his removal order had been proved to be mala fide during departmental inquiries but he was yet to get justice.

"I am badly exhausted, and my family is on the verge of starvation," he said in a choked voice. As Mr Khan was talking to this correspondent, Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Tayyab and DSP Raja Shabbir arrived at the place and urged him to end his strike.

On their intervention, a deputy secretary of the education department also came to see Mr Khan and assured him of justice. Mr Khan obliged the officials but warned them that if the promise was not met he, along with his family members, would go on a hunger strike unto death.