LAHORE: Hundreds of government employees on Wednesday staged a massive protest in front of the Punjab Assembly against reductions in pensions and gratuity, leave encashment, the abolition of Rule 17-A and family pension reforms.

Under the banner of the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) Punjab, hundreds of male and female government employees from across Punjab held a peaceful rally from Naseer Bagh to the Punjab Assembly and remained in protest for several hours.

The teachers and other department`s employees chanted slogans in support of their demands. They were holding placards and flexes with their demands and cursing the government`s `oppressive` measures and `anti-employee` policies.

Speakers included Khalid Sanghera, Ziaullah Niazi, Prof FaizaRana, Mukhtar Gujjar, Rana Anwarul Haq, Bashir Warraich, Rana Liaqat, Kashif Shehzad Chaudhry, Tariq Kaleem, Tayyab Swati, Fayyaz Gilani, Rana Ahmed Hussain, Samina Naz, Aamir Butt, Azad Gujjar and Rashid Iqbal.

They said the government is treating employees unfairly, reducing pensions and gratuity, leave encashment, abolishing Rule 17-A, and implementing family pension reforms, which is tantamount to economic murder of employees.

They said the employees would not allow the government to rob them of their economic rights, even if they have to make any sacrifice.

They said the employees were mourning while the government increased the salaries of assembly members, ministers and advisers by nine times, buying new cars and building bungalows for officers.

They called for acceptance of their demands and withdrawal of notifications otherwise the employees would protest and stage sit-ins inevery district of the province from Jan 30.

They also announced march on Islamabad to hold a sit-in in front of the Parliament House on Feb 10.

Meanwhile, the Teaching Staff Association (TSA) of the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) also held a protest outside the press club against the 25 per cent tax deduction on salaries of teachersandresearchers.

The protesters demanded that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) immediately withdraw its notification of tax.

Carrying placards with slogans like `Restore Tax Exemption,` TSA officials and members expressed their concerns over the financial burden caused by the decision. Speaking at the protest, TSA General Secretary Dr. Tanveer Qasim emphasised that the demonstration was symbolic and peaceful. However, he warned that if the notification is not revoked, the association might consider boycotting classes in the next phase of their protest.