Lady Health Workers end Lahore protest after demands met

LAHORE: The protesting lady health workers (LHW) ended a five-day long strike after the government accepted their demands on Friday.

The protesters had earlier warned of halting the metro bus if a notification for their service structure is not issued.

A spokesperson of the lady health workers announced to end the strike, stating that their demands had been accepted by the government and a notification of the same had been issued — a condition the protesters had put forth earlier on.

The health workers, who had been spending nights and days on Mall Road in protest, had said they would not end their sit-in until their demands are met.

The protest has disrupted traffic in Lahore as the protesters have occupied the main thoroughfare of the city.

The sit-in near Charing Cross had also polluted the area with trash all around that the protesting health workers have been clearing and burning on their own.

Court orders sit-in be ended

Earlier in the day, Lahore High Court ordered the home secretary to clear the sit-in and submit and report on the matter by April 2.

The court also questioned the home secretary on why the protest had not ended by now.

On March 26, the workers started a sit-in outside the Punjab Assembly over non-payment of salaries.

Lady health workers’ protest in Lahore enters third day

Mall Road turns into garbage dump as waste management staff has not yet cleaned thoroughfare

“We haven’t been paid for five months now,” a protester said. While another added saying that they last received an increment in 2012.

“Our demonstration will continue till our demands are met,” a health worker stressed.

Following this, the government allowed the release of arrears worth Rs1.2 billion for the lady health workers. The amount will reach the health workers within 15 days.

The health workers had been protesting for a few years for various reasons, including those pertaining to their upgradation, regularisation or non-payment of salaries, across Pakistan.

However, no proper system has been put in place for the workers to continue their duty in a smooth manner.