The Indian authorities in Jammu and Kashmir say they'll start sacking more than three-hundred-thousand government workers on strike unless their action is halted by tomorrow morning Thursday.

The stoppage began twenty days ago and has badly disrupted government activities.

The employees are demanding the immediate payment of allowances they are due, but the government says it's in financial crisis because of the war against armed Kashmiri militants and cannot afford to pay staff more than their basic wages. The chief minister, Farooq Abdullah, told reporters he would recruit new workers to carry out government functions if necessary.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service