MULTAN, Feb 11th: At the call of All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA),employees of grade one to 15 of Irrigation, special education, education, Excise and Taxation, works and highways, Health ,WASA, MDA on Thursday organized a big rally under the leadership of Khalid Sanghera, Rana Muhammad ishaq, Mukhtar Rathore to protest against the price hike of essential commodities in Multan . They were shouting slogans in favour of their demands while shirtless workers were beating their chests. Later they staged a demonstration in front of Multan Press Club.Addressing the demonstrators the All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) leaders demanded the immediate raise in salaries at least by 200 per cent, besides medical allowance of Rs 2,000 per month and 60 per cent increase in house rent. Khalid Mehmood Sanghera divisional President demanded the federal government to shun discriminations among low-scale civil servants of all the four provinces and treat them equally. He presented a charter of demand and appealed the government to take a revolutionary step by launching some suitable projects for the betterment of low-scale employees.Elaborating the problems of grade 1 to 16 civil servants, he said the government was showing immaturity in solving their problems and ignoring this class.
Sanghera said the employees of Azad Kashmir, NWFP, Balochistan and Sindh have been enjoying house facility for last 16 years but the employees of Punjab were being deprived of this facility. The government should prioritize to provide maximum facilities to the unprivileged class like clerks and all types of workers. He strongly opposed the deduction in clerk’s salaries on pretext of group insurance scheme because this scheme amounts to financial murder of the government employees.He also demanded the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to revise the old pay structure. Addressing on the occasion Rana Muhammad ishaq said if government justifies the house budget of civil servant in his limited salary then APCA would call off protest demonstration. He said the survival of daily wagers in local government board was at stake and for this reason they put their children on sale.He rejected the government policy of constructed house ownership, which will be allotted at the time of employee’s retirement after paying 1.6 million. He suggested that government should allot plots while the employees themselves would construct their houses, as they feel convenient. Malik Athar Haider said the government should also restore Hajj quota for low scale employees.
Sanghera said the employees of Azad Kashmir, NWFP, Balochistan and Sindh have been enjoying house facility for last 16 years but the employees of Punjab were being deprived of this facility. The government should prioritize to provide maximum facilities to the unprivileged class like clerks and all types of workers. He strongly opposed the deduction in clerk’s salaries on pretext of group insurance scheme because this scheme amounts to financial murder of the government employees.He also demanded the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to revise the old pay structure. Addressing on the occasion Rana Muhammad ishaq said if government justifies the house budget of civil servant in his limited salary then APCA would call off protest demonstration. He said the survival of daily wagers in local government board was at stake and for this reason they put their children on sale.He rejected the government policy of constructed house ownership, which will be allotted at the time of employee’s retirement after paying 1.6 million. He suggested that government should allot plots while the employees themselves would construct their houses, as they feel convenient. Malik Athar Haider said the government should also restore Hajj quota for low scale employees.
