Quetta: Government operations across Balochistan remained severely disrupted for the fifth consecutive day on Friday due to an ongoing strike by public sector employees protesting for their demands and against the arrest of dozens of their colleagues.
The strike has been organized by the Government Employees Grand Alliance, which launched the protest campaign within government offices across the province.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti stated that the financial implications of the demands presented by the employees amount to Rs. 14 billion—an amount the provincial government cannot afford to accommodate.
In response to the ongoing strike, the provincial government, on the instructions of the Chief Minister, has directed heads of all departments to initiate action against employees participating in the protest.
The protest was reignited four days ago when government employees resumed their campaign for what they describe as “legitimate demands.” During a demonstration in Quetta's high-security Red Zone, police used batons to disperse the crowd and arrested several employees, including key leaders of the Grand Alliance.
Following the crackdown, employees initiated a province-wide strike, causing major disruption in government services, especially in public educational institutions where academic activities have come to a halt.
According to Grand Alliance spokesperson Ali Bakhsh Jamali, more than 90 employees were arrested during the protest in Quetta, with 18 of them reportedly transferred to Mach Jail.
He said the strike is centered around demands for pay equity, particularly the increase of the Disparity Reduction Allowance to 30%, a benefit already being provided to federal government employees.
In a recent budget session of the Balochistan Assembly, Chief Minister Bugti reiterated that the largest portion of the province’s limited financial resources is already being allocated to salaries and benefits of government employees, making it unfeasible to meet all demands.
A government-issued statement reinforced the Chief Minister’s directive, ordering department heads to ensure the immediate return of all employees to their respective duties. The statement warned that any disruption to educational activities or other government operations would not be tolerated.
The government has cautioned that employees absent from duty under the guise of the Grand Alliance’s strike will face legal action under charges of “interference in government affairs” and violation of official conduct rules.
