Municipal employees of Town Mir Sher Muhammad Talpur staged a protest on Friday, alleging that the administration forcibly deducted substantial amounts from their December 2026 salaries and has left dozens of staff unpaid for nearly a year.
The sit-in, held outside the Town Chairman’s office, led to the closure of several government offices. The demonstration was organised under the leadership of Mazhar Ali Abbasi of the All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA). Protesters chanted slogans against Town Chairman Wali Muhammad Narejo, accusing the town administration of plunging its workforce into severe financial distress.
In a statement, Mr Abbasi claimed that 38 town employees have not received their wages for the past ten months. He further alleged that other staff members who were paid experienced heavy, unexplained deductions from their pay.
According to the APCA leader, sums ranging from Rs 12,000 to Rs 35,000 were arbitrarily taken from employee salaries for December 2026, an act he described as a “gross injustice.” He added that government-mandated annual increments have also been halted.
Mr Abbasi highlighted that a Sindh government announcement for a 12 per cent salary increase and an 8 per cent pension enhancement, scheduled to be effective from July 2025, has also not been implemented by the town administration.
The union leader asserted that the lack of explanation from the Town Chairman or any official regarding the deductions has fuelled “doubts and suspicions.” He alleged that the mistreatment of employees is a form of corruption and that various tactics are being employed to harass them mentally and financially.
Mr Abbasi criticised elected National and Provincial Assembly representatives for being “silent spectators” on the serious issue. He contrasted the employees” plight with the Pakistan Peoples Party’s slogan of ‘Roti, Kapra aur Makaan’ (bread, clothing and shelter), stating that the town”s staff were being deprived of their livelihood and basic rights.
The protestors issued a warning that if their demands are not accepted immediately, the scope of the protest will be expanded to encompass the entire division.