Casual laborers on Forest Department in Ganderbal have locked down the offices from Monday demanding release of salaries withheld since ‘nine months’.
Laborers stayed in the premises of the Sindh Forest Division, Ganderbal, for the night ensuring that none opens the office.
“We have locked down the office and it will only open once we are given our salaries,” protesting employees said.
According to them almost 748 casual laborers with the department have been ridiculed by not giving them their due salaries and made to suffer for nine months.
“Do they not have humanity? Don’t their children ask them ‘how do these casual employees survive without pay? They are playing a cruel joke with our families,” they said.
They however added that some of the employees were given salaries but that too half of it or even less of the due salary.
DFO Shabbir Ahmad told INS that the office cannot be opened as employees are present there and they have locked the office.
“We have raised the issue and hopefully by today evening there problems will be resolved,” Shabbir promised.
