Bare minimum

The government has blamed the increase in the price of petrol and petroleum goods on their inflated prices in the international market. However, it would do well to keep international minimum wages in mind when making such claims. In the US, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, with some states paying as much as $15 per hour.

The living wage in Pakistan is around Rs30,000 per month while the minimum wage in Sindh until recently was Rs17500 per month – almost half of the living wage. When the Sindh government announced an increase in the minimum wage to Rs25000 per month in July 2021, the Employers Federation of Pakistan and several trade associations filed a suit against the move. While there is no denying that international prices are high, the government must not forget its responsibility of giving subsidies to people to ensure they can survive. If that is too much, it should increase the minimum wage up to living wage.

Muhammad Usman

Jhang