ISLAMABAD: Contractual employees of the Federal General Hospital (FGH), Chak Shahzad, on Monday protested against the non-payment of salaries for two months.

They were also joined by employees of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Polyclinic, Capital Hospital and the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine.

The protesters, who were carrying placards, chanted slogans in support of their demands and demanded the government regularise the services of the contractual workers and release their salaries.

They also announced to hold a protest in front of the National Press Club on Tuesday if the issue was not resolved. As a last option, they would observe a strike in all the hospitals, the protesters said.

The employees of the 150-bed FGH have been observing token protests by wearing blacl< armbands.

One of the FGH employees told Dawn that in March the contracts of 27 nurses,10 doctors, three superintendents, one assistant director and one physiotherapist expired.

`We contacted the management many times but every time we were told that our cases have been sent to the Cabinet Division for an extension in the contracts.

`On the other hand, officials at the Cabinet Division told us that our cases had been sent to them too late due to which the contracts could not be extended on time,` he said.

The protesters said a number of employees belonged to the far-flung areas, including Sindh, and it was impossible for them to work without salaries.

The employees of the other hospitals said if the issue was not resolved soon, they would be left with no option but to hold a strike in all the hospitals in Islamabad.

Members of the Pakistan Nursing Federation also participatedin the protest.