Massive traffic jam as LHWs sit-in protest enters 2nd day

LAHORE (92 News) – The sit-in protest by lady health workers (LHWs) near Charing Cross at the Mall Road in Lahore entered second day on Tuesday. According to the reports, massive traffic jam as LHWs from all over Punjab converged on The Mall to stage a sit-in outside the Punjab Assembly. It is pertinent to mention here that the LHWs from different districts of Punjab are demanding a pay raise, proper service structure and scale up-gradation. They claimed that they will continue their sit-in protest until their demands are met. The LHWs sit-in protest which started on Monday morning near Charing Cross caused traffic problems for citizens due to the traffic jams at various roads of the city. Due to the demonstration, traffic around Mall Road has been disrupted. Traffic on routes connecting Mall Road to other thoroughfares such as Kacheri Road and Hall Road was severely affected. Commuters remained stuck in the snarling mess of vehicles for hours. A day earlier, as LHWs started arriving at Faisal Chowk from all over the province early in the morning, the sit-in was stages at noon, causing massive traffic jam in the heart of the city throughout the day. The traffic police diverted the traffic to adjoining roads, which caused a lot of inconvenience to the motorists as the protest was still continuing even at night. Carrying placards and banners with their demands, the protesting LHWs chanted slogans against the health minister and bureaucracy. LHWs President Rukhsana Anwar voiced demands of the LHWs, saying that the government must upgrade their scales, regularise contract employees, grant equal rights as available to other civil servants including pension after retirement. “We demand our right to facilities commensurate to our qualifications,” she said, adding that the government had been using delaying tactics as it had not fulfilled their demands of last year’s sit-in. The LHW’s sit-in, if prolonged, may also affect the dengue, malaria and polio campaigns, as some of the protesting health workers also threatened to boycott immunisation campaigns in the province. She said that LHWs would continue their protest till written assurance of acceptance of all of their demands. “We are ready to spend night under open sky. We can continue protest till March 23 if needed,” she said. Delegation of Young Doctors Association (YDA) headed by Punjab chapter Chairman Dr Shoaib Tarrar and General Secretary Dr Salman Haseeb visited Faisal Chowk to express solidarity with the protesting Lady Health Workers.