Unyielding Protests: PoJK's Ad-hoc Workers Demand Justice

In Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, ad-hoc government employees are protesting for regularisation after decades of service without permanent status. Despite years of unaddressed grievances, these workers face potential job loss, reflecting broader issues of neglect and exploitation in the region. Protesters demand immediate action from the authorities.

In a determined protest, ad-hoc government employees in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) have gathered outside the Central Press Club in Muzaffarabad. The demonstrators are demanding the regularization of their long-term, temporary positions, many of which have spanned over two decades without being made permanent, unlike their peers in other parts of Pakistan.

Amidst high temperatures and growing uncertainty, these workers, now in their 40s and 50s, argue that their prime working years have slipped away under false promises of job security. Facing potential dismissal without pension or alternative employment, they denounce the systemic injustice. "The prime of our youth was used, and now we're being ousted," one protester declared.

The prolonged protests echo a larger dissatisfaction with governance in PoJK, where systemic issues plague various sectors, from education to healthcare. With political representation undermined and basic rights often denied, locals are pressing for a swift governmental response to their demands for job regularization and security.

(With inputs from agencies.)