ISLAMABAD: Government employees declared on Thursday their intention to stage a protest march towards Parliament House on the eve of the federal budget announcement, as tensions over pay and pension reforms escalate in the capital.
The demonstrators began assembling at Pak Secretariat Chowk, awaiting the arrival of participants from all provinces before proceeding to Parliament House. This follows a two-day sit-in outside the Ministry of Finance, which the protesters have vowed to maintain until their demands are addressed.
The movement, spearheaded by the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AggiGA), has mobilized workers from various departments. Organizers emphasized that the protest will persist in front of Parliament House until concrete assurances are given.
Chief organizer Rehman Bajwa outlined key demands, including the incorporation of their proposals into the Federal Budget 2026-27 and the immediate enforcement of an agreement reached on March 10, 2025. The employees are also pressing for the merger of all ad-hoc relief allowances into basic pay and the introduction of a revised pay scale structure.
Additionally, the protesters are calling for a 50 percent salary increase for those earning less than Rs50,000 monthly. They demand a 200 percent hike in conveyance, medical, and house rent allowances, along with the withdrawal of pension reforms to maintain the existing pension system.
Other demands include a 30 percent disparity reduction allowance to bridge wage gaps across grades, abolition of the 25 percent tax slab on teachers and researchers with refunds of deducted amounts, and regularization of daily-wage and contract employees. The alliance also seeks job restoration for families of employees who died during service.
Furthermore, the protesters urge the formation of joint committees to oversee institutions slated for privatization and insist that the minimum monthly wage for government employees be set at Rs50,000.
