ISLAMABAD: Lady healthcare workers ended their protest sit-in outside the Parliament House in Islamabad on the seventh day after the government constituted a committee to resolve their grievances.
Hundreds of women had camped in the federal capital for several days protesting for their rights. The demands included uniform pay packages, promotion and gratuity for employees, and security during the anti-polio campaign.
During the last week, negotiations with the government had repeatedly failed until Monday night when state minister for parliamentary affairs Ali Muhammad Khan visited the protesters again and promised to resolve their concerns.
Soon after a notification was issued by the ministry of parliamentary affairs stating that the government has agreed to forward the demand of salaries to the Council of Common Interest for deliberation.
A committee has also constituted in Punjab to examine the issue of pension and gratuity for the healthcare workers. Regarding service structure, the Punjab government will make all possible efforts in three months, while secretary health in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will also meet the lady health care workers.
Meanwhile, the government shall write a letter to the inspector general police of all provinces to provide adequate security to the employees during the anti-polio campaign.
President of the National Program Health Employees Rukhsana Anwar said they have called off sit-in after being assured that their demands will be addressed in the next few months on the prime minister’s orders,
She said that many women have been working at the same grade without promotion and pay of less than Rs.20,000 per month for several years now and wanted a raise. Lady healthcare workers are tasked to run door-to-door vaccination campaigns and were also recently mobilised to fight COVID-19.
