Karachi faced severe traffic jams on Monday after police used tear gas and water cannons to stop protesting government employees. The protesters, part of the Sindh Employees’ Alliance (SEA), were marching towards the Chief Minister’s House to demand better salaries and pensions. Police intervened when talks between the protest leaders and government officials failed to reach an agreement.
DIG South Syed Asad Raza said the protesters wanted a 70% pay and pension raise for grades 1 to 22 employees. They also demanded a 50% Disparity Reduction Allowance and post-retirement benefits similar to those in Balochistan. After talks collapsed, the protesters began moving from the Karachi Press Club towards the CM House, where police had already blocked roads.
To stop them, law enforcement used water cannons and fired tear gas near Aiwan-e-Saddar Road, close to the Governor House. Protesters were pushed back and redirected to the Karachi Press Club. Police confirmed that no arrests were made, but protest leaders claimed officers used force and “tortured” some demonstrators.
SEA leaders said that Planning and Development Minister Nasir Shah had accepted their demands. However, CM Murad Ali Shah asked for three days to finalize discussions. The protest leaders are now planning their next move, possibly marching to Bilawal House in Clifton if their demands remain unmet.
The protest caused chaos on Karachi’s roads. Major roads like Aiwan-i-Saddar, Dr Ziauddin Ahmad, and Din Muhammad Wafai were closed. As a result, traffic from 4pm to 7pm was badly affected, especially on I.I. Chundrigar, Abdullah Haroon, and Saddar. Police diverted vehicles to alternative routes to manage the congestion.