MIRAMSHAH: More than 500 health department employees in North Waziristan have been without salaries for over a year despite completion of their physical verification, prompting the Paramedical Association to stage a protest outside the Miramshah Press Club on Friday.

The protesters demanded immediate restoration of salaries and payment of all outstanding dues. They warned that they would expand their protest and go on a strike if the authorities failed to resolve the issue.

The protest was led by Paramedical Association North Waziristan and All-Merged District Paramedics Association president and tribal elder Malik Mohammad Iqbal Khan Dawar. A large number of health department employees participated in the demonstration and chanted slogans demanding restoration of their salaries.

Addressing the protesters, Mr Dawar said physical verification of all 538 health employees has been completed and they have fulfilled all requirements set by the relevant authorities.

He said verification process has been initiated to confirm presence and duty status of employees and that all the workers concerned had cooperated with the authorities and underwent physical verification.

“Once the verification process has been completed, there is no justification for keeping the salaries withheld,” he said.

Mr Dawar said withholding salaries for more than a year had pushed hundreds of employees and their families into severe financial difficulties. He said the affected employees had to meet household expenses, children’s education, healthcare and other basic needs from their salaries, but the prolonged suspension of payments had created serious financial problems for their families.

He said health workers in North Waziristan were performing their duties under difficult and sensitive conditions, particularly those posted at hospitals and health facilities in remote areas.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2026