Shahbaz wants 10pc raise for govt employees

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif has hit out at the federal government over its decision to not give a raise to the government employees and pensioners in this year's budget.

In a statement issued on Sunday, he demanded that the government give at least a 10% raise in salaries of the government employees.

"Every year, the PML-N raised salaries of government employees," Shahbaz said. “We [PML-N] also gave housing allowances and other facilities to the government employees as well.”

The former Punjab chief minister added that no increase in the employees’ salaries was unacceptable. “Health and medical expenses have increased and everything is very expensive. It is unfair not to increase the salaries in the current economic condition,” Shahbaz said.

He questioned where was the campaign to bring down prices and steps to make the lives of the poor and needy better in the budget. “No programme to help farmers was announced in the budget,” he added.