Pens down: G-B clerks continue sit-in to demand promotions

Say they were not promoted despite court orders

GILGIT: Hundreds of clerks working in various government departments across Gilgit-Baltistan continued their sit-in on Wednesday, demanding promotions and an increase in perks and privileges.

The call for a pen-down strike, given by the G-B Clerks Association, a body representing more than 2,000 members, has affected official work.

“God-willing, we will continue this strike until a notification is issued in our favour,” said president of the association, Bahadur Khan.

“We have suffered a lot, but are determined to get our rights at all costs,” Khan told the media at the secretariat in Gilgit where the protest continued.

Khan said their demands included promotions and the associated financial benefits as afforded to clerks in the rest of the country. “Despite court orders, which were in favour of the clerks, the government failed to implement them,” he added.



“I was appointed in 1987 in Grade-5 and still have not been promoted,” said another clerk.

G-B government official spokesman Faizullah Farak said the current regime is the first to take the issues of clerical staff seriously. “The chief minister has issued orders to settle the matter,” said Farak.

He said a summary to this effect was moved by the department concerned and also has the chief minister’s seal of approval. However, he said certain technical glitches delayed the approval, adding the summary was being reviewed and vetted. The spokesperson concluded that the matter would be settled soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2016.