Up in arms: APCA stages protest demonstrations in city

Pen down strike to commence on Thursday (today).

LAHORE: Scores of clerks from the Irrigation and Cooperatives departments came together on Wednesday at the General Post Office (GPO) Chowk and Mughalpura area following a strike call by the central committee of the All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA).

APCA president Muhammad Sultan Mujaddidi said the protests had been held after the government had failed to accept the association’s charter of demands.

He said the government had failed to accept its demand for the upgradation of pay scales of clerical, technical and non-technical staff along the pattern in other provinces. He said a larger demonstration would be held in front of the Civil Secretariat in April.

APCA chairman Haji Irshad said clerks from all districts of the Punjab were set to converge in the city to participate in today’s (Thursday’s) protest demonstration against the government at 7 Club Road.

He said the police had been preventing convoys of clerks from moving towards the city following a directive by the government. Irshad appealed to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to order the police to desist from stopping the clerks.

He said sit-ins would be staged in every district of the province otherwise.

Irshad said members had been directed to remain peaceful till the authorities used force against the protesters.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2015.