HYDERABAD: Government employees staged sit-ins and rallies after boycotting work in several towns on Monday in response to Sindh Employees Alliance’s call for province-wide protest against cut in pension under new policy.

The protesters’ leaders said the new policy deprived them of pension benefits, Disparity Reduction Allowance and payment of group insurance upon retirement, and demanded immediate reversal of proposed reforms in Sindh Civil Servants (Amendment) Act, 2024, revival of quota in jobs for deceased employees and group insurance etc.

They warned of continuing the protest until their demands were accepted and a formal notification to this effect was issued by the provincial government.

In Hyderabad, the employees of various departments, mostly of education, held a big rally outside local press club.

The protesters, including a large number of female teachers, observed strike and brought out a rally from Sindh University’s old campus to local press club.

The representatives of Government Secondary Teachers Association (GSTA) Sindh, All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA), Primary Teachers Association (PTA) and other alliance leaders, who led the protest, demanded the government withdraw proposed amendments to pension laws.

They said that on the one hand the government was increasing perks and privileges of parliamentarians while on the other hand it was slashing salaries and pensionary benefits of its employees.

They termed it a great injustice and warned if the government did not reverse its decision they would paralyse all government business.

The Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) supported the alliance’s demands by observing a black day and wearing black armbands. Similarly, members of All Revenue Employees Association (AREA) Sindh staged protest outside the offices of Senior Member Board of Revenue.

In Badin, the government employees observed strike, bringing educational and administrative activities to a halt.

Local alliance leaders, who led the protest, reiterated their demands and said that employees in Sindh were being deprived of the rights and facilities that were being provided to their colleagues in other provinces.

They vowed to continue the struggle until their demands were accepted and a formal notification to that effect was issued by the government.

In Nawabshah, Sanghar and Naushahro Feroze districts, government employees observed strike, took out rallies and held demonstrations.

They demanded immediate reversal of the proposed reforms, revival of quota in jobs for deceased employees, group insurance etc.

Similar protests were held in Moro, Sakrand, Daur, Mehrabpur and other towns.

In Sukkur, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kandhkot-Kashmore, Ghotki and Khairpur districts, the employees, including women, staged demonstrations and sit-ins outside press clubs.

The protesters’ leaders condemned Sindh government’s anti-employees decisions and urged authorities to give employees their legitimate rights.

They pointed out that despite 200 per cent inflation in the country, the government employees’ salaries in Sindh had been raised only by 12pc.

In Umerkot and Kunri, educational and administrative activities remained suspended after teachers and government employees boycotted work and staged protests.

The protesters put locks on schools, colleges and government offices, wore black armbands and took to the streets. The new law discriminated against low-ranking employees, they said.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025