In a bold display of unity, public sector workers across Balochistan are intensifying street actions to press for the Disparity Reduction Allowance (DRA) and related perks. The Balochistan Employees Grand Alliance (BEGA) spearheaded rallies in Quetta and Khuzdar, transforming quiet streets into arenas of fervent demands.
Quetta’s procession kicked off at Bacha Khan Chowk, culminating at the City Police Station with a defiant sit-in. Chants echoed against governmental inaction, and the mood turned volatile. According to reports, 11 protesters chose self-arrest, a dramatic gesture amid stalled talks.
Over in Khuzdar, a robust turnout under leaders like Aslam Notani, Manzoor Naushad, Aslam Zahri, Rashid Ahmad Gulamani, and Rashid Zahri amplified the call. Employees from multiple agencies united, decrying procrastination that fuels daily struggles.
Echoing these cries, the Unemployed Pharmacists Action Committee (UPAC) had earlier rebuked a January 22 decision allocating minimal jobs to thousands of qualified pharmacists – a pittance likened to insignificant relief. UPAC’s Qasim Aziz Mengal, speaking at Quetta Press Club, urged expansive hiring, merit-driven processes, and transparency, accusing the health sector of cronyism through opaque walk-in interviews.
Mengal further lamented missing pharmacy units in private facilities and condemned contract recruitment ads, signaling deeper rot in healthcare staffing. The pharmacist uproar ties into broader employee woes.
Flashback to January 20: A Red Zone blockade in Quetta led to mass arrests after police intervention halted a DRA protest. Internet blackouts compounded the chaos, with barriers like containers sealing off access. Undeterred, workers rallied at the Press Club, facing crackdowns that left many in custody and offices grinding to a halt.
Balochistan’s labor unrest paints a picture of neglected promises in a resource-strapped region. With participation swelling from distant districts, the government faces a reckoning: concede to demands or brace for escalating confrontations that could ripple nationwide.
