Pakistan: Employees and teachers protest as wage increase enters the sixth day

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Updated: July 15, 2023 11:14 PM IS

lahore (Pakistan), July 15 (ANI): As the protest by office workers and teachers entered its fifth day through Pakistan‘s Punjab on Friday, the protesters declared their determination to continue their fight until their demands for an increase in salary and other benefits were fulfilled in line with the package announced for federal government employees, Dawn reported.
They also pledged to intensify the protest drive taking out processions and blocking roads.
“The interim government in Punjab He has tried his best to suppress us but we have also decided to fight and win this battle by all means,” said an office worker with a determined tone.
Dawn reported that she was participating in the sit-in outside the Civil Secretariat on Paseo Inferior.
“If they (the decision makers) continue to ignore us, we will give them a hard time in the near future,” he warned.
The demonstrators promise to intensify the campaign to increase in salarypension and benefits in accordance with Center policy.
According to the protesters, all provinces except Punjabfollowed the pattern of increasing salary and other benefits as announced in the federal budget for central government employees, Dawn reported.

“The provinces, according to the federal government budget, gave an increase of 35% in the salary from BPS-1 employees to 6 and 30pc for BPS-17 to 22. Likewise, an increase of 17.5 pc in pensions was granted to retirees. But what happened to us was that the Punjab the government granted a 30% increase on the salary while retirees were only given a 5 percent raise. In fact, the increase should be 35% over the basic performance. salary—the pay employees received for the month of June 2023,” said All Govt Employees Grand Alliance Punjab The office holder, Muhammad Iqbal Nadeem Phul, while speaking to Dawn.
“We have also been deprived of the vacation charge according to the last salary charged by the employee before retiring as now is also in accordance with the initial base salary, which is a pure injustice”, he complained.
Mr Phul said that an employee who previously received Rs 1 million leave pay after retirement would now receive just Rs 200,000, Dawn reported.
According to him, the increase in the pension in Punjab it had also been removed as there would be no annual increase in the future.
“It is also another injustice,” he lamented, adding that the employees also wanted a salary increase according to the percentage of inflation.
To a question, he said that 42 government employee organizations representing all departments were unanimous to continue this fight until the goals are achieved, Dawn reported.
“These 42 associations include 17 from the education department,” he added.
PHA: The Horticulture and Parks Authority management became aware of the deteriorating condition of the Jallo cricket ground and botanical garden and directed the officers involved to improve their situation in the coming days.
“Immediate repairs to the damaged fountains, lighting and benches at the Jallo Botanical Gardens and grounds must be initiated,” said PHA CEO Tahir Wattoo as he reprimanded officials during his visit to the park. He also sought to raise and care for butterflies in the butterfly farm professionally. (ME TOO)