Call to raise salaries in proportion to price-hike

LAHORE : According to government figures, the inflation has risen to 18 per cent but the salaries of government and non-government employees have not increased proportionate to the price-hike in the proposed federal budget for fiscal year 2021-22.

This was said in a statement issued by Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaz Punjab. It said, according to the budget, there would be a 10 per cent increase in the salaries and pensions of government employees but there were also indications of taxing the GP fund for government employees.

Eighty-five state-owned enterprises have been shown in deficit and some of them have been marked for immediate privatisation, said the statement issued by Begum Shamim Chaudhry, secretary information, Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaz.

The government’s claim to increase exports also does not seem to supporting the economy because it would be forced to spend a large portion of its foreign exchange on cotton import due to less production of cotton in the country. In addition to that, Pakistan’s industrial structure does not have capacity to compete in the world market.

Moreover, agricultural sector in the country has outdated system of feudalism since the creation of Pakistan, therefore, there are no signs of development and improvement in this sector, Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaz Punjab said.

In this budget as in previous budgets, the government has laid great emphasis on the development of agriculture. It has announced many concessions and interest-free loans for it. If the government succeeds in showing any performance in this sector, Pakistan’s economy will improve, said Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaz Punjab. It said the government should not get foreign loans so that a large portion of the national income was not spent on payment of interest on the foreign loans and this was a burden on the people of Pakistan.