ISLAMABAD: A protest of government employees for increase in salaries and other demands near Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad turned violent after police resorted to tear gas shelling to push back the demonstrators.
The police arrested several protestors while those stuck in the Secretariat Block broke the door to escape.
Demonstrations were held at several points of the city, including Constitution Avenue, outside Secretariat Block, Cabinet Block and outside the National Press Club.
Later, the protesters started a march towards the Parliament House to intercept which police placed containers on the roads, sealing off D-Chowk.
“Action will be taken against the ones who took law in their hands,” a statement by a police spokesperson said.
Separately, addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said that the prime minister was “very concerned” about the issues being faced by government staffers, Radio Pakistan reported.
The premier, he said, has directed the concerned ministries to resolve the clerks’ issues immediately.
“He is very serious about this and wants the issues to be resolved,” he said.
A three-member government committee will address a press conference soon, he said and added:Â “I think that the protest will end today.”
Addressing a press conference later in the day, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, who is part of the committee holding talks with the protesters, said that the government wanted to give the employees a special allowance for the months before June.
A commission is also looking at the issue and will give a decision before the budget is announced and the problem will be solved, he added.
Khattak said the “government has limits” and it was ready to give increments according to what was suitable keeping in view the condition of the country and the treasury but “if they want it [on their own terms], it will be difficult”.
The minister said the government was “still ready to talk” to the protesters if they brought their demands within limits.
He added the recommendations of the Pay and Pension Commission would be incorporated in the next budget. It was earlier agreed that the salaries of the employees in grades between 1 to 16 will be enhanced but on Tuesday they [employees] demanded the increase for people employed by the provinces.
The federal government could only do something if it was related to its own employees, he clarified.
Khattak said that the government committee was ready to hold talks but clarified that any relief will be given keeping in view the fragile economic situation of the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said that the resolution of the issues of the people is the responsibility of the state and the government is committed to this end.
Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed who was also present said that the committee wants to move ahead with labourers’ problems and resolution of their issues is our foremost priority.
Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz backed the government employees’ protest and blamed the incumbent government for inflation and price hikes in the country.
“The unbearable increase in the prices of commodities and utility items have multiplied the sufferings of the people. The selected government has failed to control inflation because its own people are involved in illegal profiteering,” read the PPP chairman’s statement.
Bilawal added that the country can get rid of the cruel inflation and price hikes only “through the ouster of incompetent, ineligible and illegitimate selected government of Imran Khan”.
On the other hand, Maryam took to Twitter to criticise the government, asking it to stop the “merciless torture” on the government employees.
“For God’s sake, stop this merciless torture. Do not make the innocent government employees suffer from tear gas, shelling and baton-charging. They are not enemies but poor Pakistanis who are asking for their rights,” she tweeted.
