KARACHI: After staging a day-long sit-in outside the KMC headquarters on Friday, hundreds of retired employees and pensioners of different town municipal committees (TMCs) announced that they would expand their protest against non-payment of dues. They said the next demonstration would be held on Tuesday on main M.A. Jinnah Road with a warning that it could last for an ‘indefinite’ period. In a statement, the alliance of different unions of the KMC and bodies of its retired employees said that the mayor of Karachi and the KMC authorities had brought their lives on the verge of collapse which required decisive action. “During our sit-in earlier this week, the Karachi mayor, accompanied by officers, left the office without negotiating with the protesters,” said Zulfiqar Shah, senior leader of the alliance. Labour unions to stage sit-in, observe hunger strike in front of KMC head office next week “So the participants have decided to continue their protest and announced further actions. We will observe a symbolic two-hour strike on Monday, Thursday and Friday and then we will stage a sit-in and observe hunger strike in front of the KMC head office on Tuesday.” Since 2017, he said, the KMC and TMC retirees and widows had been facing problems of non-payment of their dues. Since October 2023, pension cases of TMC retirees had not been processed by the KMC, leading to severe financial hardship for many, he added. “In response, employee unions have formed a joint alliance. Leaders from multiple groups, such as Sajjan Union, United Workers Front, United Workers Union (Kaneez Fatima Group), and others, along with hundreds of retired employees and pensioners are united for this protest. The unions will also approach the courts for legal action.”