25pc raise in govt employees’ salaries

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: The government employees Thursday called off their protest for raise in salaries after reaching an agreement with a special committee constituted by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The committee comprised Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak, Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan.

As per decision, a 25 percent increase in salaries of federal government employees from grades 1 to 19 was approved on ad-hoc basis.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Pervez Khattak and Ali Muhammad Khan and the leaders of protesting employees Islam-ud-Din and Rehman Bajwa signed the agreement.

Addressing a press conference here accompanied by Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Ali Muhammad Khan, Pervez Khattak said the ad-hoc relief of 25 percent would be added to the pay scales in the upcoming budget.

Khattak said a decision on promotion of employees based on time-scale approval had also been taken. He said a procedure would be devised for promotion of employees based on time-scale approval.

He said the prime minister had instructed that the provincial governments be given directions so that the problems of their employees could also be solved.

On behalf of the federal government, Khattak apologized to the protesting employees for the police action and said it should not have happened.

Speaking on the occasion, Ali Muhammad Khan said the prime minister also believed in the people’s right to protest.

Shaikh Rashid assured the government employees from grades 20 to 22 of increase in salaries in the next budget.

The minister said all the arrested protesters would be released and cases registered against them would be taken back.

The following is the text of agreement.

· 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.

· The posts BPS (1-16) or equivalent will be upgraded on the pattern of Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

· The time-scale promotion will also be considered for adoption on the same pattern in the next budget.

· Ad hoc relief will also be considered to be made part of the basic salary w.e.f. July, 2021.

· The above package will also recommended to the provinces for adoption from their own funds. This will be included in the notification to be issued by the federal government.

· Any illegal proceedings against the protesters are here by withdrawn including employees of Radio Pakistan.

A summary to this effect is being placed before the federal cabinet for approval.

Earlier on Wednesday, the federal capital turned into a battlefield as security personnel and the protesting government employees fought running battles in front of the Parliament.

The police resorted to aerial firing to break up the protest. The protesters threw stones at the police while the police resorted to firing teargas shells to disperse them besides taking scores of them into custody.

The police even fired rubber bullets directly at the protesters and bundled dozens of protesting government servants into the police trucks and took them to the police stations. The protest led to the closure of all offices at the federal secretariat. The protesters also denied passage to Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz who was heading to his office.