C T Online Desk: Three to four hundred employees from various ministries gathered in protest.
Government officials and employees continued their protests at the Secretariat on Monday, demanding the withdrawal of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance 2025.
The demonstration began around 11:15am, with three to four hundred employees from various ministries gathering in protest.
The ordinance stipulates that if a government employee engages in conduct deemed insubordinate—or that incites insubordination among other officials, disrupts discipline, hinders the execution of duties, or collectively or individually remains absent from duty without approved leave or reasonable cause—they shall be subject to disciplinary action. The same applies to those who incite or provoke others to abstain from duties, or obstruct others from performing their responsibilities.
The prescribed punishments for such offences include demotion, removal from service, or dismissal.
Furthermore, the ordinance states that a show-cause notice must be issued within seven days of the framing of charges. If the accused is found guilty, a second notice must be issued within seven working days, asking why a penalty should not be imposed. Based on the responses, a decision can be made. If a punishment is imposed, the accused employee will have 30 working days to appeal—except in cases where the order is issued by the President. In such instances, the employee may only request a review.
Since the draft of this ordinance was approved, employees at the Secretariat have been staging demonstrations, claiming the ordinance is repressive and draconian in nature.
Protests were also held on Saturday and Sunday by officials and staff of various ranks, who fear that the ordinance severely restricts their rights and provides disproportionate disciplinary powers to the administration.
