Secretariat Chowk of Islamabad became a battlefield on Wednesday when police and Rangers took on the government servants protesting for pay raise, Aaj News reported.

The protest led to the closure of all offices at the federal secretariat while the protesters also denied passage to Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz who was heading to his office. The protesters threw stones at the police while the police resorted to firing teargas shells to disperse them besides taking scores of them into custody.

They were later taken to the Secretariat police station. A heavy contingent of Rangers arrived at the scene to keep the government employees from marching towards the Parliament House. Later, the protesters were also stopped from taking their march towards the PM Office.

It is to be mentioned here that Capital Development Authority (CDA) Labor Union’s General Secretary Amanullah and Chairman Izhar Abbasi were taken into custody yesterday.

While responding to the protest, Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has said that the employees want forty percent raise in their basic salaries.

We are in contact with the protesters and trying to resolve the matter, he told.