Muzaffarabad (PoJK): Health Department employees in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir have launched an indefinite strike over pending health allowances and other unmet demands, disrupting services and increasing pressure on regional authorities. The staff have established a protest camp outside the gate of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Hospital in Muzaffarabad, where their agitation has continued for more than two weeks.
The strike entered its 17th day as employees vowed to continue until the Government of PoJK fulfils commitments it had earlier agreed to implement. Protesters say repeated assurances from authorities have not resulted in the release of health allowances or improvements to long-standing service grievances.
Protester Farah Sadia expressed frustration with what she described as persistent neglect, saying employees have not received increases in benefits or allowances and questioning the government’s concern for vulnerable patients affected by the strike. She highlighted the hardships of economically disadvantaged families, urging authorities not to “oppress the poor” by ignoring healthcare workers’ demands.
Raja Zulfiqar, President of the Paramedical Association, said healthcare workers consider themselves equal citizens entitled to their rights and warned that employees are determined to press their demands while keeping their protest lawful and peaceful. He described the movement as ethical and orderly and urged prompt resolution in the best interests of both the government and staff.
Protests by government employees are common in PoJK, where workers across departments frequently allege discrimination, delayed payments and poor service conditions. Aggrieved employees maintain that repeated promises by authorities have not translated into concrete action, pointing to governance gaps and delays in policy implementation in the region.
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