Balochistan : is immobilized as huge worker protests are sparked by the government’s wage disparity

Balochistan : Major roads around Balochistan came to a complete halt on Tuesday as widespread demonstrations by provincial government workers calling for decent salaries began their second day.

The everyday flow of commuters and carriers was severely disrupted by demonstrators who, acting under the collective umbrella of the Balochistan Grand Alliance, stopped traffic at numerous important roads, according to The Balochistan Post.

The Balochistan Post reports that the protest leaders blocked roads in Khuzdar, Lasbela, Qila Saifullah, Naseerabad, Noshki, and Panjgur the day before. Kalat, Pishin, Loralai, Dalbandin, and Pasni all had similar shutdowns. As irate locals battled with the protracted delays, lengthy lines of stalled cars formed.

For the last seven months, the alliance, an umbrella organization made up of workers from several government agencies, has been collectively protesting and calling on the province government to establish a 30% Disparity Reduction Allowance (DRA). The purpose of the allowance is to reduce the significant pay disparities amongst employees of the same grade who are employed by several governmental entities.

Abdul Qudoos Kakar, the chairman of the Alliance, criticized the Balochistan administration for not implementing the DRA, pointing out that it has previously been accepted by the federal government and other provinces.

He claimed that while equally ranked employees in other departments continue to receive inadequate pay, those working in the Governor’s House, Chief Minister Secretariat, Assembly Secretariat, Civil Secretariat, and High Court receive significantly higher salaries, making the demand a basic necessity in the face of skyrocketing inflation. According to The Balochistan Post, he said that a government committee that approved the stipend had also been disregarded.

There have been stages to the protest effort. Workers have now relocated to province-wide road blockades that are set to last until January 14 after the first stage’s three-day shutdown of government buildings. Following this, there would be a full closure of Balochistan on January 15 and, starting on January 20, an ongoing sit-in outside Quetta’s Red Zone.

Any government action, according to Kakar, would lead workers to close all state offices and start a “jail bharo” (court arrest) campaign. According to The Balochistan Post, a number of political parties have supported the workers and urged the provincial administration to resolve the issue amicably rather than violently.