Federal Secretariat employees observe pen-down strike over no pay raise.

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan Secretariat employees on Thursday observed a peaceful pen-down strike here at the federal capital's Constitution Avenue over an ongoing delay in pay raises.

The employees informed that they had staged an 11-day-long protest earlier in February as well, after which the government had engaged in talks with them and promised to revise up their salaries by March 5 (today). That promise failed to materialise, forcing the employees to go on strike.

Their counterparts in other public institutions have already been awarded pay raises, they said.

Standing outside Block Q near the Secretariat with pens in hand and black ribbons on their arms, the employees continued their protest despite rain.

They were informed that there would be no anti-government chants - just slogans to voice their grievances.

The protesters - which included Grade 1-22 officers and their staff - noted further that despite being of the...