Employees belonging to the All-Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) took to the streets of Quetta in a protest against the combination of rising inflation and stagnant wages. Carrying placards and banners, the demonstrators voiced their discontent and chanted slogans directed at the government.
The protest began at Quetta Metropolitan and proceeded along various roads in the city, ultimately converging in front of the Quetta Press Club. APCA leaders addressed the gathered crowd, expressing their concerns and demands.
In a show of solidarity, the Red Workers Front, a workers association, actively participated in the protest, advocating for the rights of government employees.
Beyond Quetta, people also gathered in Mastung and Khuzdar to stand in support of the government employees and their demands. APCA provincial leaders, secretaries of different units, and members attended the gatherings, alongside the Workers Confederation Irrigation Employees Union, another workers association.
During the protest, APCA leaders such as Haji Ghulam Ali, Haji Abdul Jabbar Durrani, and Mir Ahmad Baloch, among others, addressed the crowds and put forth their demands. They called for a 100 percent increase in salaries due to the mounting inflation, as well as revisions to house rent allowance, medical allowance, and other attendant allowances.
Highlighting the severe impact of inflation on employees, protest leaders emphasized the financial hardships faced by the workers. The rising prices of essential goods and services were straining their budgets, leaving them grappling to make ends meet. Additionally, employees found themselves burdened with mounting debt, making it increasingly difficult to cover utility bills and provide for their families.
The protest leaders underscored the disparity between buyers and sellers in adjusting to inflation. While sellers could raise prices to compensate, employees were confined by their stagnant salaries. They demanded a 100 percent increase in wages, along with revisions to allowances and bonuses. Warning of further protests, they stressed that their demands must be met to alleviate their grievances.