Federal govt assures protesters of 20% increase in salaries

ISLAMABAD: After intense clashes between government employees clashing with police after they marched towards the Red Zone on Wednesday, the federal government’s negotiations with Islamabad protesters ended successfully when they agreed to raise salaries of the protesting employees by 20%.

Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad took to Twitter to share the news. He ordered the immediate release of all protesters who were arrested, which according to media reports, was one of the conditions of the deal struck with them.

The federal government employees were demanding a raise in their salaries and had gathered on Wednesday after their leader Rehman Bajwa and nine others were arrested overnight.

Following the arrests, the government workers in the federal capital had announced they would march towards the Parliament House from Pakistan Secretariat for their demands and the release of their leaders.

The police had resorted to tear gas shelling after they made a move towards the Parliament. The protesters at one point had also encircled Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz.

At one point the protesting employees also closed the doors to the secretariat bringing the government machinery to a halt.