Despite invoking Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) by the J&k Government, employees in the State continued their strike, paralysing work in government offices, hospitals and educational institutions. <br/><br/>Describing the strike as unjustified , an official spokesman said in Jammu today that the Government has fulfilled all the important commitments made to the employees and amply shown its desire to consider sympathetically all their residual demands. The Employees are demanding among other things payment of 6th Pay Commission arrears, rise in the retirement age from 58 to 60 years and regularisation of daily wagers and contractuals<br/><br/>Asking employees to shun the path of confrontation, Omar said that employees have no justification to go on strike as government has already fulfilled the maximum demands of employees including recommendations of 6th Pay Commission. He said Government needs Rs.4200 crore for paying the arrears and steps are a foot to generate resources for this purpose adding the Government has already taken up this issue with the Centre Government and is strongly pursuing to get central grant for payment of arrears to the employees. Omar said that the irresponsible attitude of the Government has compelled the Government to invoke ESMA. <br/><br/>However, all the opposition Parties BJP, CPI(M), Panthers Party and PDP have criticised the Government for invoking ESMA against the employees. Meanwhile, over 50 leaders of various employees unions have gone underground after the Government invoked ESMA.<br/>