Srinagar, Feb 21 (KNS): All Jammu and Kashmir Pathwari Association (AJKPA), district Srinagar staged protest and went on indefinite pen down strike on Wednesday to press the government over their demands that include increase in grade pay of gratuity from 2400 to 2800, rent for Patwar Khanas, creation of Girdawar Circles and Pathwar Halqas, Enhancement of allowances, timely Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC).
The protesting association members assembled inside the premise of Srinagar’s Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) office here and raised slogans in favour of their demands.
The association members were demanding authorities to stop direct recruitment of Naib Tehsildar, increase in grade pay of gratuity from 2400 to 2800 and rent for Patwar Khanas.
Nazir Dar, Vice president Pathwar Association Kashmir Province told Kashmir News Service (KNS) that the government has utterly failed to fulfill the genuine demands of Pathwaris. “We have been pressing for our demands since long but unfortunately the government doesn’t pay heed to our demands,” he said.
The protesters said that following the demands, the government also constituted a team who looked into the issue and later submitted the report favoring Pathwari association. “However, the issues raised in the report are yet to be implemented,” they said.
Dar said that government doesn’t pay the rent of Patwar Khanas. “We are being forced to pay the rent of Patwar Khanas on our own,” he said.
He said that the issues pertaining to Patwar association must be resolved at an earliest so that they could heave a sigh of relief.
Dar further said that the government despite ordering to increase the grade pay of gratuity from 2400 to 2800 for graduate Pathwari has failed to come up to their words. “We were assured that gratuity will be enhanced but unfortunately, the government has left hundreds of Patwar families to suffer by not implementing the orders,” he said, demanding fulfillment of their demands as soon as possible.
The protesting association members later appealed government to look into the matter and fulfill their demands at an earliest. (KNS)