Up in arms: Late salaries irk blind govt employees in Dera Ghazi Khan

Protesters demand CM order release of their salaries.

DERA GHAZI KHAN: Visually impaired employees of different government departments staged a protest demonstration on Thursday at Kachehri Chowk over nonpayment of their salaries for the last four months.

The protesters blocked the main Kachehri Chowk for traffic for four long hours. Dozens of employees working on daily wages and contract basis in Municipal Corporation, special education and social welfare departments took out a rally from Traffic Chowk.

Holding white sticks in their hands, the workers raised slogans in favour of their rights and demanded payment of their salaries pending for the last four months.

Addressing the protesters, Blind Association’s Divisional President Hafiz Abdul Razaq said visually impaired people always bear the brunt of injustices on part of the government.

Although the quota has been fixed for the differently-abled and visually impaired people, but what benefit this quota could provide to the people who diligently perform their duties like other employees but were denied of their salaries.

“We work like normal people. We do raise families and so we have to bear the expenses.

Our jobs provide us means of respectable livelihood. So our salaries must be paid on time,” he said.

“We have become fed up of lip service and want the government to take practical measures to address the issue at the earliest,” Abdul Razzak said.

Meanwhile, the protesters demanded the Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take notice of the matter and issue instructions to the authorities concerned to release their salaries.

Later, on the assurance of the authorities, the protesters dispersed peacefully.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2017.