SAHIWAL: Divisional and district chapters of the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) organised a protest rally and staged a token sit-in in front of the press club here on Thursday.

The rally, led by representatives from All Pakistan Clerks Association (Apca), Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association (PPLA) and various health worker unions, saw participants chanting slogans against the Punjab government’s failure to address their demands.

The protesters chanted slogans against the huge cut in pension and gratuity of the government employees.

They demanded implementation of the 30pc disparity reduction allowance in Punjab in line with federal government’s policy; reversal of a June 2, 2024 notification that reduced pensions and gratuities for the Punjab government employees by 40-45pc; restoration of leave encashment, end to the policy of outsourcing educational and primary health institutions; regularization of contract employees; implementation of pay and service protection for college teachers hired in 2002, 2005, 2009, and 2012; and reversal of the notification abolishing Article 17-A, which grants certain rights to siblings of provincial government employees.

Ms Faiza Rana, AGEGA’s provincial secretary, said they had no option but to launch a protest movement across Punjab.

Javed Sanghera, AGEGA chairman, announced a new series of protests to be held on August 16, 20, and 25, followed by September 2, 8, and 11, at divisional headquarters in Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Multan, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, and Rawalpindi, respectively. He warned that if the government does not respond, a final sit-in would be held on Sept 18 on Mall Road, Lahore.

The AGEGA leaders, in their speeches, criticized the Punjab government’s governance, arguing that it had created a deep sense of job insecurity among more than one million public servants of Punjab.

FESTIVAL: A two-day funfair gala, which had the participation of over 300 medical graduates and academic faculty, concluded with a musical performance at the Sahiwal Medical College premises.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2025