SHANGLA: Government employees across Shangla observed a complete pen-down strike and boycotted official duties on the call of the All Government Employees Grand Alliance Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in support of their demands.
Employees from different government departments locked offices, suspended work and later gathered outside the Shangla Press Club, where they staged a protest sit-in against the provincial government.
The protesters carried placards and banners in support of their Charter of Demands. They said rising inflation, stagnant salaries, delayed promotions and unresolved service structure issues had increased financial and professional difficulties for government employees.
Leaders of various employee associations addressed the protest and accused the provincial government of ignoring their demands. They said employees were being burdened further instead of being given relief.
AGEGA Shangla President Islam Yousafzai, APCA President Javed Iqbal and representatives of teachers, health, education and other employee bodies were among those who spoke at the demonstration.
The speakers warned that if the government did not accept their demands, the protest movement would be expanded at provincial and central levels.
Islam Yousafzai said government employees were the backbone of state institutions and should not be ignored. He said the next phase of the movement would include intensified protests across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa if practical steps were not taken.
The protesters said they would continue their struggle until their demands were formally accepted.
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