No pay raise in federal budget sparks protests by workers in Sindh.

SUKKUR -- Workers held rallies, demonstrations and press conferences in different parts of Sindh on Tuesday in protest against denial of any pay raise in the federal budget. They resolved to organise a vigorous campaign in the province if a reasonable increase in their salaries was not announced.

The protests by employees of various institutions and departments were held in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kandhkot-Kashmore, Ghotki, Mirpurkhas and other districts.

Pakistan Railways' workers, on a call given by PREM union, left their work to join a rally in front of the office of divisional superintendent, Sukkur.

PREM's central and divisional leaders including Khair Mohammad Tunio, Zahid Jawed, Masud Ahmed, Asif Leghari, Naeem Gul and Khalid led the rally.

They strongly condemned what they called the 'anti-workers budget' and vowed to continue their protest until a reasonable pay raise was announced.

The participants kept raising slogans for the increase during the rally.

Speaking to them, the leaders said the salaried segment of the country was hard-pressed due to unprecedentedly high inflation in the country, lockdown on account of Covid-19 outbreak and back-breaking hike of all essential commodities, besides certain other factors.

The PREM leaders said that considering the multiple issues confronting every household's economy, they were expecting a 100pc increase in their salaries but what the federal government came up with in this critical situation could only be condemned in strongest possible words and opposed tooth and nail.

They said the Supreme Court should take suo motu notice of the matter, adding that the prime minister and his cabinet must reconsider and reverse the decision.

The PREM leaders also urged the Railways minister to regularise jobs of all those working on ad hoc basis in the department for years.

They said workers wait for a long year for a negligible pay raise in the budget but it was sad to say that even this was denied in the budget this year. They expressed their sheer disappointment over the federal government's indifference towards the plight of salaried class, especially lower-grade employees who were already finding it too difficult to make two ends meet.

PR employees held protest demonstrations against the budget in all towns of Sukkur and Jacobabad division.

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