The Balochistan Employees’ Grand Alliance announced an indefinite shutdown of government offices, educational institutions and other public sector departments across Balochistan from Thursday, a day after police used tear gas and detained protesters during a march towards the Balochistan assembly in Quetta.
Government employees had attempted to march towards the Assembly during the budget session to protest against the provincial budget, which announced a seven per cent salary increase for them.
The alliance rejected the raise, demanding a 35 per cent disparity reduction allowance and a previously promised 25 per cent pay increase.
It said the protest campaign would continue until its demands were met.
Police and Frontier Corps personnel blocked the march near Chaman Phatak, where rallies from different parts of Quetta had converged before moving towards the assembly.
Police used tear gas to disperse the protesters, triggering panic and chaos in the area. More than 10 leaders and workers were arrested, protesters said.
Alliance leaders Abdul Qudoos Kakar and Younas Kakar announced that the protest movement would be intensified following what they described as a “violent crackdown” on peaceful demonstrators.
The alliance also announced that a hunger strike unto death would begin in Quetta on June 19, warning that the movement would be expanded until its demands were accepted.