Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak on Thursday said the federal employees from grade 1 to 19 would be given ad hoc relief of 25 percent while the issues of their upgradation would be resolved after the budget.
He was addressing a press conference here along with Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan. He said there was a disparity of 100 to 200 percent between the salaries of different departments. The Finance Ministry would issue the notification for the ad hoc relief, which would be merged in the budget, he added. The minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan talked to two chief ministers and asked them to resolve the issue of salaries of the provincial employees as per directives of the federal government. Upgradation of employees had already been done in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he added. Pervez Khattak said the ad hoc relief would continue till the decisions of the Pay and Pension Commission. He said the issue of time-scale promotions would also be resolved in the budget. The promotions would be given by looking into the performance of employees, he added.
The minister said directions would also be issued for settling the issues of lady health workers.
Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad said the ad hoc relief would be given to employees of grade 1 to 19 and Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh had also given his consent in that regard. The salaries of employees of grade 20 to 22 would be increased in the budget, he added.
The Interior Minister said the government committee led by Pervez Khattak met the prime minister, who gave approval for increase in the salaries. All the issues with the employees were resolved amicably, and the government would remain in contact with them to further facilitate them.
Minister of State Ali Muhammad Khan thanked the prime minister for taking keen interest in the issues of employees. The government followed the model of the Riyasat-i-Madina as the prime minister was trying to end the disparity in employees’ pays. Their upgradations would also be done, he added. He appreciated the employees for showing patience and undertaking a peaceful movement for their rights.
To a question, Sheikh Rasheed said the issues with Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan would also be settled. He said a budget proposal would be put before the cabinet to better meet the financial needs of the army, Rangers, police and other law enforcement departments.He said all cases against the protesting employees would be withdrawn and the arrested protesters would be released.
Meanwhile, the Finance Division agreed to allow disparity reduction allowance at the rate of 25 percent of the basic pay of BPS-2017 to the federal government employees working in Basic Pay Scale 1-19. “Disparity Reduction Allowance @ 25% of the basic pay of BPS-2017 shall be allowed to those civil employees in BPS (1-19) of the Federal Government (including employees of Federal Secretariat and attached departments) who have never been allowed additional salary equal to or more than 100% of the basic pay (whether frozen or not) or performance allowance w.e.f. 01 March, 2021,” said a press statement issued by the Finance Ministry.
The federal government employees were demanding a raise in their salaries and had gathered on Wednesday after their leader Rehman Bajwa and nine others were arrested overnight. Following the arrests, the government workers in the federal capital had announced they would march towards the Parliament House from Pakistan Secretariat for their demands and the release of their leaders.
The police had resorted to tear gas shelling after they made a move towards the Parliament. The protesters at one point had also encircled Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz. At one point the protesting employees also closed the doors to the secretariat, bringing the government machinery to a halt. At least two dozen protesting employees were taken into custody under Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO). The government employees were protesting against the income disparities between various federal government employees. They have been demanding a 40% increase in their salaries. The All Pakistan Clerks Association and government employees of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh are also supporting the protest.
