Patiala, Dec. 2 -- A day after the Punjab government announced that the strike by contractual employees of PRTC and Punbus had been withdrawn following a meeting with state transport minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, the protesting workers on Monday declared that their agitation would continue. The employees stated they would not resume duties until reinstatement orders for the sacked workers were issued and all those arrested during the agitation were released. Authorities, however, maintained that the protesting employees must first report to their respective depots, after which their suspension orders would be revoked. Regarding the release of arrested employees, government officials said that due legal process must be followed, which would take some time. Resham Singh Gill, state president of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus, and PRTC Contract Workers Union, said that nearly 173 employees were currently in police custody and should be immediately released. "Until Punjab Police release all our workers and issue reinstatement orders for the sacked employees, we will not rejoin our duties," said Gill. Of these, around 22 PRTC employees have been arrested-in Patiala and Sangrur-on serious charges, including attempted murder. A senior official of thePRTC, requesting anonymity, said, "As soon as the employees report to their depots, we will revoke their suspensions. As for termination orders, wewill positively consider revocations after following due process." The official added that if employees continue to remain absent from duty, more workers could face suspension....