Sanitation workers of the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) in Parachinar, Kurram district, have been dismissed from their jobs.

The dismissed employees said they had been working on a temporary basis for several years but were recently removed without any reason.

The affected workers, who belong to the Christian community, stated that their families have been settled in Parachinar since before the creation of Pakistan and have long been serving in the municipal sanitation department.

According to the employees, they have not been paid salaries for the past five years, yet they continued performing their duties.

The sanitation staff staged a protest outside the Parachinar Press Club against their dismissal. Protesters said they have even been removed from temporary jobs while other people are being hired in their place.

They added that due to non-payment of salaries, pensions, and other rights for many years, their families are facing severe financial difficulties. They said they have no other source of income apart from their TMA jobs.

Meanwhile, Tehsil Chairman Agha Muzammil Hussain said that the number of employees is high and resources are limited, but the sanitation staff will be rehired on daily wages.

It is worth noting that the Christian community in Parachinar has been associated with sanitation work for a long time. The dismissed workers have appealed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and the Chief Secretary for immediate action to restore their rights and ensure justice.