Pakistan govt says it fired 1000 tear gas shells at own protesting employees to 'test it'

Last week, Pakistan police fired over 1,000 tear gas shells to disperse government employees in Islamab protesting for a pay rise. Reacting to incident, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in an insensitive remark stated that it was "necessary to test tear gas as it h been unused for a long time".

'Only a little was tested, t a lot'

dressing a ceremony in Rawalpindi, Ahmed said that Islamab police "fired a little tear gas", and it was necessary to test it since tear gas canisters h been unused for a long time, Dawn reported. "Only a little was tested, t a lot," he claimed.

Protesting under umbrella of All Government Employees Grand Alliance, public servants h anunced a sit-in at Pakistan Secretariat till ir salaries were increased.

Security personnel and protesters h clashed throughout Wednesday in capital's heavily guarded Red Zone. However, protest h ended next day after a government committee succeeded in negotiations with protesters, agreeing to increase basic pay of federal government employees from gres 1 to 19 by 25%.

Rashid, who was part of government committee, said that "real problem" was t tear gas shelling but pay raise that "amounts to billions of rupees in this time of inflation [and is a burden on ] treasury", newspaper quoted him as saying.

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People across social media erupted in anger against Interior Minister, seeking an apology from Ahmed for his remark. "In any or country, a statement like this would mean immediate firing of minister and an apology from government," said PML-N leer Mohamm Zubair.

Meanwhile, Rashid said country h "nearly gotten out" of Coronavirus pandemic and gave credit for bringing situation under control to Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pakistan Army, who he said h done "jih against Covid-19". Talking about 10-party Opposition alliance — Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) — long march to Islamab on February 26, Interior Minister said y would be 'welcomed' if y followed law and Constitution.

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(With ANI inputs)