LAHORE: The Punjab Paramedics Alliance (PPA) has urged the government to implement the upgraded four-tier service structure in all districts of the province. Talking to Daily Times, PPA Secretary General Muhammad Najeeb Nasir and other office bearers of the alliance said that they would announce a province-wide protest movement if their demands were not met. “In 2011, the Punjab government, through a notification, approved the provision of a four-tier service structure for all paramedic staff from grade 1 to 17. However, the promise was not fulfilled. In 2014, the Lahore High Court also directed the Local Government Department to implement the decision,” he said. Nasir said that following the court order, the department formulated a summary in this regard and sent it to the Finance Department for approval. “The Finance Department raised several objections over the summary. It was revised and resent to the Finance Department on 13-05-2015. Years have passed since then, but no progress has been made in this regard,” he said. Nasir said that the service structure had already been given to paramedics working in the Irrigation Department and the Prisons Department. “It is sheer injustice that the same facility is not being provided to paramedics of the Local Government Department,” he said. He said if their demands were not met, the alliance would once again launch a protest movement. Published in Daily Times, July 25th 2017.