QUETTA: The government employees’ organization, the Balochistan Grand Alliance, on Friday launched a province-wide protest by locking government offices and schools across Quetta to express dissatisfaction over the meager salary increase announced in the provincial budget.
The protest caused widespread disruption, leaving citizens and students facing serious inconvenience.
Protesters said the strike was in response to the government’s failure to meet their key demands regarding salaries and allowances. Alliance leaders issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the provincial government, warning of a full-fledged protest movement if their demands remained unmet.
“Today and tomorrow, all government offices across Balochistan will remain locked,” said the Chairman of the Grand Alliance, addressing the media in Quetta. “If the government does not respond within the deadline, we will intensify our movement.”
The protest led to the closure of schools as well. Teachers padlocked classrooms, affecting thousands of students. “The government’s apathy is wasting children’s time and disrupting their education,” one protester said.
The blockade of government buildings also frustrated the general public. Many citizens were turned away from offices as they tried to access routine services. “We came here for important paperwork, but everything is locked,” said a resident waiting outside a government department.
Alliance leaders announced plans to escalate the protest. “All government employees from across Balochistan will converge in Quetta on Sunday,” said Abdul Quddus Kakar, a prominent leader of the movement. “On June 24, we will stage a sit-in in front of the Balochistan Assembly.”
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Kakar stated that the protest would continue until the government accepts their demands. “Before the budget, provincial ministers assured us that our concerns would be addressed,” he added. “But when the budget was presented, all our demands were ignored.”
