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Health Department employees in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) have launched an indefinite strike over pending health allowances and other unmet demands, disrupting services and intensifying pressure on the regional authorities. The protesting staff have set up a demonstration camp outside the gate of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Hospital in Muzaffarabad, where they have been staging their agitation for over two weeks.
The strike has now entered its 17th day, with employees asserting that they will continue their protest until the Government of PoJK fulfils commitments it had previously agreed to implement. Protesters allege that despite repeated assurances, the authorities have failed to release health allowances and address long-standing grievances related to service conditions. One of the protesters, Farah Sadia, voiced frustration over what she described as persistent neglect. She said employees have not received increases in benefits or allowances and questioned the government's lack of concern for vulnerable patients affected by the strike. Highlighting the plight of economically disadvantaged families, she said poor patients have nowhere else to seek treatment and urged authorities not to "oppress the poor" by ignoring the demands of healthcare workers. Raja Zulfiqar, President of the Paramedical Association, stated that healthcare workers consider themselves equal citizens entitled to their rights. He warned that employees are determined to pursue their demands while maintaining that their protest remains lawful and peaceful. Emphasising that their movement is being conducted in an ethical and orderly manner, he urged the authorities to resolve the issue promptly, saying it would be in the best interest of both the government and the employees. Protests by government employees are not uncommon in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, where workers across departments have frequently alleged discrimination, delayed payments, and poor service conditions. Agitating employees argue that repeated promises by authorities have not translated into concrete action, pointing to governance gaps and delays in policy implementation in the region. (ANI)
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