Government workers continue to demonstrate outside Islamabad’s parliament.

On the second day, government workers in Islamabad are still protesting over pensions and other changes outside the parliament building.

The government-civil servant discussions are still at a standstill. The demonstrators claim that unless a written agreement is achieved, the demonstration will go on.

On Thursday, protesters gathered at Secretariat Chowk and blocked the government secretariat’s two gates. Conflicts between demonstrators and police resulted from the deployment of a significant police presence, including senior officers, to maintain order. The demonstrators later relocated to Parliament House.

The workers demanded modifications to the pension calculation system and the elimination of dual pensions, which they saw as discriminatory regulations. Additionally, they called for a 10% raise in disability benefits. The government claims that the reforms, which went into effect on January 1, 2025, will lower financial obligations and align Pakistan with global fiscal norms. Instead of using the final pay taken, the new method now bases pension calculations on the average of the previous two years’ income.

Protesters argue that the new regulations unfairly penalize pensioners who rely on government assistance, despite authorities’ claims that they will help save billions of dollars yearly. As talks continue to stagnate, protests are anticipated to continue.