Teachers protest against cut in pension, leave encashment in Lahore

LAHORE: Hundreds of government employees staged a protest demonstration in front of the Punjab Civil Secretariat on Thursday against the government’s decision to reduce pensions.

Employees from different departments including school and college teachers criticised the reduction in pension, gratuity, and leave encashment.

The demonstration was led by Ch Mukhtar Gujjar, Chairman All Government Employees Grand Alliance Punjab (AGEGA) Lahore Division.

Addressing the protesters, organisers said the government had committed an economic massacre of millions of teachers and employees of Punjab by issuing notifications for a reduction in pension, gratuity, and leave encashment.

“The ruling party has increased their benefits nine times, but instead of giving anything to teachers and employees, they were also reducing the benefits they have already received by 50 percent,” the protestors said.

They added teachers and employees were the backbone of the development of the province of Punjab but they were being exploited economically.

The speakers also said that due to these notifications, teachers and employees would be forced to beg after retirement.

“If the government fails to withdraw these notifications immediately, we will stage sit-ins across Punjab on national highways,” the demonstration organisers warned.