BAHAWALPUR: Lady health visitors (LHVs) of the health department on Monday protested over non-payment of two-month salaries.

Several LHVs gathered at the busy DPO Chowk where they demonstrated and staged a sit-in. They claimed they were neither paid salaries for two months nor had their outstanding dues been cleared by the health department.

The demonstrators held placards and banners inscribed with their demands .The protesters announced to observe a pen-down strike from Tuesday (today) and boycott all health department campaigns against polio, dengue etc.

The LHVs said Eidul Fitr was round the corner but they had been deprived of their salaries along with arrears. They announced that if their demands were not met, they might demonstrate outside the Punjab Assembly in Lahore.

According to some witnesses, one of the protesters fainted due to the intense heat. She was immediately provided first aid by her colleagues.

After demonstration, the protesters dispersed peacefully.

PROTEST: A large number of people from an area in Cholistan demonstrated outside the commissioner’s office on Baghdad Road here.

According to Lumberdar Qazi Allah Ditta, who led the demonstrators, Cholistanis who paid local tax called ‘tarini’ were entitled to land allotment, but the relevant committee of which District Forest Officer Qazi Khalid was a member allegedly cancelled their claims of entitlement.

PML-N leader Saad Masood, nephew of Senator Saood Majid Chaudhry, appeared on the scene and took the protesters to Commissioner Saqib Zafar.

The commissioner referred them to District Officer Coordination Amjad Bashir Chaudhry, who assured the delegation resolution of their problems.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2015

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