Peshawar came to a standstill on Wednesday as thousands of government employees flooded the city’s streets, staging a sit-in at Assembly Chowk that paralysed traffic along Khyber Road and adjacent routes for over ten hours. The protest, spearheaded by the Government Employees Grand Alliance, disrupted access to hospitals and other essential services, turning major city arteries into gridlocked zones.
The rally began with a march from Government High School No. 1 to Assembly Chowk. Protesters demanded a pay increase in line with federal government scales, a minimum monthly wage of Rs50,000, and the reinstatement of the previous pension structure, rejecting the recently introduced Contributory Pension Scheme.
Participants from various government departments, including teachers, clerks, and Lady Health Workers, joined the protest. They also called for the promised upgradation of teachers and urged authorities to grant Lady Health Workers higher pay grades—BPS-9 and BPS-15—based on seniority.
Union leaders claimed that prior discussions with the provincial finance adviser had ended without resolution, prompting them to mobilise en masse. As tensions rose during the day-long demonstration, provincial authorities eventually invited representatives for talks.
Following negotiations with a government committee, protest leaders were assured that their demands would be considered and grievances addressed. With this assurance, the protesters peacefully ended their sit-in late in the evening.
