Pakistan police used hundreds of tear gas shells to disperse a peaceful protest by government employees.

Government employees are protesting for a hike in wages in Islamabad. To disperse the crowd, the police used tear gas at various locations.

Government employees are protesting for a hike in wages in Islamabad. To disperse the crowd, the police used tear gas at various locations. On February 10, 2021, Pakistan Government employees started protesting at Constitution Avenue, outside Sectratial and cabinet block Islamabad, demanding a hike in monthly salaries due to inflation. Employees belonging to various federal government ministries reached D-Chowk and marched towards the parliament to enter the Red Zone and hold a sit-in. While blocking the movement of employees, it resulted in clashes between the police and employees.

The Islamabad police resorted to baton charges to suppress the crowd and started shelling tear gas towards the agitating employees. Police arrested more than 30 employees under Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO), reported The News International. People felt suffocated and dispersed after the shelling of powerful gas with a radius of 3 to 5 kilometers around Constitution Avenue. The Dawn reported the police used rubber bullets at the protestors on Constitution Avenue. Protestors in response had pelted stones at the police.

Islamabad authorities blocked the way with containers in front of the parliament after the protestors reached the D-chowk. Protestors attempted to bypass those containers, which forced the police to restore the shelling of tear gas to disperse the crowd. Even police and rangers personnel felt unconscious for a while due to the teargases, The News reported.

On February 11, the protest was called off. Press Information Department released a statement that the federal government employees from grades 1 to 19 were approved with a 25 percent increase in salaries. This decision was agreed by a special committee comprised of Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak, Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan, constituted by Prime Minister Imran Khan.