Approximately 1,500 members of the federal levies force, after serving for nearly two decades across 18 districts of Balochistan, on Thurssday escalated their plea for four years of unpaid salaries by resuming their protest in Quetta.
Speaking from a protest encampment established outside the Quetta Press Club, federal levies employee Lal Muhammad Marri articulated the demonstrators’ demands.
Mr Marri recounted a previous demonstration staged in 2024 over the same issue, which was concluded on 27 February 2024 following an assurance from Balochistan’s Chief Minister, Mir Sarfraz Bugti. He noted that despite the severe cold, the personnel felt compelled to re-establish their protest.
The demonstrators, who have been protesting for the last five days, are demanding the immediate release of all withheld salaries. They assert that receiving pensionary benefits is a fundamental right for all federal levies employees in the province.
He issued a formal call to the relevant authorities, urging them to settle the outstanding salary arrears and to grant the long-serving staff either a full pension or a golden handshake severance package.