QUETTA: The Balochistan Employees’ Grand Alliance, following clashes with police and the arrest of several ofits leaders and workers on Wednesday, announced a complete shutdown of government offices, educational institutions and other public sector departments across the province for an indefinite period beginning Thursday.
The alliance said its protest campaign would continue until its demands were met.
The alliance’s protesters had plannedtomarchtotheBalochistan Assembly and stage a protest sit-in during the budget session.
However, the local administration deployed a heavy contingent of police and Frontier Corps personnel to block their movement.
Alliance leaders Abdul Qudoos KakarandYounasKakarannounced that the protest movement would be intensified following what they described as a ‘violent crackdown’on peaceful demonstrators.
Tensions escalated when government employees attempted to march towards the assembly to protest against the provincial budget, which announced only a seven per cent salary increase for them. The alliance rejected the raise, demanding a 35pc disparity reduction allowance and a previously promised 25pc pay increase.
Police stopped the protesters near Chaman Phatak, where several rallies from different parts of Quetta had converged before attempting to proceed towards theassembly. Authorities used tear gas to disperse the crowd, triggering panicand chaosinthe area.
According to sources, police arrested more than 10 leaders and workers. Protesters alleged that peaceful demonstrators were subjected to excessive force, while the government remained silent on the incident.
The alliance also announced that a hunger strike unto death would begin in Quetta on June 19, warning that the movement would be expanded until its demands were accepted.-Saleem Shahid