J&K NHM Employees Threaten UT-Wide Pen-Down Strike Over Unpaid Salaries Ahead of Eid

SRINAGAR, March 13, 2026: The Joint Coordination Committee of the Jammu & Kashmir National Health Mission Employees Association (JKNHMEA) has issued a formal ultimatum to the government, announcing a union-wide pen-down strike starting Monday, March 16, 2026, if pending salaries are not released immediately.

The association highlighted that the prolonged delay in wage payments has plunged thousands of healthcare workers into severe financial crisis, particularly as they observe the holy month of Ramadan and prepare for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr festivities.

As part of the intensified agitation, employees from the Kashmir division have scheduled a major protest demonstration at Sher-i-Kashmir Park in Srinagar to demand their constitutional right to timely remuneration.

Leadership from both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions, including Muneer Andrabi and Dr. Vikas Sharma, emphasized that despite their unwavering dedication to the UT’s healthcare backbone, the workforce has been pushed to a breaking point by administrative negligence.

Chief Spokesperson Abdul Rauoof underscored that “salary is not charity,” warning that the government will be held solely responsible for any subsequent disruptions in essential health services.

While the committee remains hopeful for a swift resolution that allows employees to celebrate Eid with dignity, they have made it clear that the strike will proceed and intensify if the authorities fail to clear the outstanding dues by the Monday deadline.