OKARA - Clerical staff of all government departments locked up their offices and took to roads against what they called “meagre raise” in their salaries. The Apca strike brought the entire official work to a halt and caused multiple problems for the public.
As per detail, the Apca Okara chapter locked out offices across the district in protest against the government apathy and non-acceptance of their demands. Apca District President Shafqat Rasul Sindhu, General Secretary Aamir Naveed Chaudhry and Unit President Mohammad Rafique Madni addressed the protesting clerks. Speaking on the occasion, Apca Okara President Shafqat Rasul said that the government having announced mere 20 per cent adhoc increase in the salaries had buried the government employees alive. The government has snatched the right to living from the low rank employees as in view of the skyrocketing prices and inflation, the pay raise is not more than peanuts,” he pointed out. He lamented that the pay scales had not been revised which stood testimony to the indifference of the government. He warned that if the government did not accept their demands, the whole clerk community would take to the roads. “We will not even hesitate from a countrywide protest and a long march towards Islamabad,” he threatened.