Punjab Civil Secretariat. Photo: Facebook
LAHORE:
A Grand Alliance protest of government employees outside the Punjab Civil Secretariat entered its third day on Thursday, intensifying pressure on the provincial government to address long-standing service-related demands.
The alliance is made up of teachers and employees from various other government departments.
Since early morning, a large number of protesters gathered at the main entrance of the secretariat, chanting slogans and holding banners calling for immediate policy changes and formal notifications in their favour.
The demonstration was largely peaceful, but caused partial traffic disruptions in surrounding areas due to increased police deployment and road diversions.
A feature of the ongoing sit-in was the strong participation of female teachers from across Punjab. Female educators from Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi and southern districts were seen raising slogans and addressing the crowd on the financial and professional challenges faced by government employees after the recent policy changes.
The protesters announced that the sit-in will continue until their demands are accepted and notified by the provincial government.
Grand Alliance representatives stated that verbal assurances were no longer acceptable and that only written notifications could end the protest.
One of the central demands is the regularization of subcontracted employees. Protesters argue that thousands of teachers and other staff have been working on contracts for years despite meeting eligibility criteria for permanent positions. They demanded the restoration of Rule 17-A, which previously allowed contract employees to be absorbed into permanent service.
Another key demand is the restoration of the old license fee notification which had been revised under recent austerity measures.
According to protesters, the revised policy has caused financial losses to retired employees who had planned their post-retirement lives based on previous rules.
The alliance has also called for the revival of previous rules on family pensions, stating that the changes in regulations have negatively affected the families of deceased government officials. The protesters emphasized that pension is not a privilege but an earned right that guarantees family dignity and financial security after retirement or death.
Teachers warned that uncertainty over post-service benefits was demoralizing educators and affecting the quality of education in public sector institutions.
Another notable demand concerns higher education qualifications. The protesters demanded that holders of master’s degrees be granted salary scale 17 and doctoral scholars 18. They argued that ignoring promotions based on qualifications deterred teachers from pursuing higher education and research.
On the third day of the protest, government officials reportedly began informal contacts with representatives of the alliance.
Protest leaders expressed disappointment at what they described as “delaying tactics” by authorities.
Security measures were kept tight around the Civil Secretariat and police personnel were deployed to prevent any escalation. Despite the strong presence, the protesters maintained discipline and reiterated their commitment to a peaceful struggle.
