A large-scale sit-in protest was recently organized by hundreds of beldar, or traditional construction workers, in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to voice their distress after the local authorities fired them.
The forest department employed 954 beldars at a meagre salary to protect forests and plant trees, but they were subsequently fired, citing no budget
The demonstrators asked for reappointment and benefits that were proportional to inflation and equal to those of their Pakistani counterparts.
“The sad situation is that when we began our strike, we got to know there were 754 workers, but later the number had risen to 954. I appeal to the Chief Secretary that whomsoever has done this conspiracy, that officer must be investigated. If they did not have posts or money to pay us, then why did they hire all these people?” said Raja Tehseen Khan, a protester.
“It is an extremely unfair move. We appeal for their re-appointed. They were earlier being given Rs 15,000 salary. It is also unfortunate. Their salaries should be Rs 32,000 per month. The minimum wages should be Rs 25,000 as per norms of government of Pakistan and PoK”, said another protester.
This is not the first time – government employees in PoK are frequently forced to take to the streets to seek even the most basic of rights, which they claim are met with a bureaucratic roadblock at the behest of the country’s political leadership.