Retired employees and pensioners of Town Municipal Corporations (TMCs) staged a protest sit-in outside the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Head Office on M.A. Jinnah Road, demanding immediate resolution of their long-standing pension issues.
The protesters voiced concerns over KMC’s refusal to process pension cases of retired TMC employees, non-payment of dues since 2017, exclusion of pension increases from 2019 and 2020 in monthly disbursements, and delays in restoring pensions for retirees who have reached the age of 72.
Following negotiations with the police, the demonstrators entered the KMC Head Office, marched around the premises while chanting slogans, and staged a sit-in at the main corridor. Addressing the gathering, union leaders including Syed Zulfiqar Shah, Habib-ur-Rehman Awan, Javed Baloch, Haroon Hassan, Qasim Shah, Wali Warisi, Ashraf Awan, Naeem Jamal, Asif Khan, Comrade Amar Jaleel Magasi, Dr. Saeed Akhtar, and Ilyas Jadoon called for the immediate acceptance of pension cases, clearance of dues since 2017, incorporation of the 2019 and 2020 pension increases, and the restoration of pensions for retirees aged 72 and above.
The demonstrators later marched towards the Local Government Secretariat, where they staged another sit-in at the main entrance, chanting slogans against the authorities.
Later on, a negotiation team comprising Syed Zulfiqar Shah, Naeem Jamal, Habib-ur-Rehman, Ilyas Jadoon, Abbas Ahmed, Asif Khan, Raja Asim Shehzad, Malik Ejaz, Imran Ali, and Muhammad Nazir met with Additional Chief Secretary for Local Government Khalid Haider Shah, Special Secretary Najma Hamid, Section Officer (Admin) Jabbar Abbasi, and Section Officer V Mansoor Lakhan.
The officials assured the protesters that they were aware of the pensioners’ grievances and had repeatedly informed KMC and the Finance Secretary about the issue.
To expedite the resolution, the Additional Chief Secretary requested written demands from the protesters, which were immediately submitted. He also assured that the protest proceedings and demands would be formally conveyed to the Minister for Local Government and the Chief Secretary.
Following the negotiations, the protesters peacefully dispersed.
The demonstration was attended by various labor and pensioners’ unions, including the All KMC TMCs Retired Employees & Pensioners Alliance, KMC Joint Employees Action Committee, KMC Retired Employees Action Committee, MPP Labor Wing, Mohajir Qaumi Movement Labor Wing, Urban Labor Front, United Workers Union, People’s United Workers Union Lyari, People’s Labor Union South, People’s United Workers Union Mauripur, Sajan Union Keamari, Baldia & Korangi Towns, Teachers Action Committee, and others. These organizations expressed solidarity with the pensioners and called for immediate action on their demands.
