The federal capital turned into a war zone on Wednesday as several government employees, demanding a pay rise, clashed with Islamabad police near the Parliament House. Protests were being held at different parts of the metropolis, including Constitution Avenue, outside Secretariat Block and Cabinet Block.
The Federal Secretariat Employees Core Committee, All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA), All Pakistan Secretariat Employees Coordination Council (APSECC), All Pakistan Lady Health Workers Association (APLHWA) and several other public sector organizations had announced a sit-in in front of the Parliament House while running a countrywide movement until the acceptance of demands.
What are the demands?
The government workers are demanding better pay and pension and implementation of the promises made by the authorities in the previous protest. They have been demanding a 40% increase in their salaries.
They demanded authorities to increase salaries in accordance with the prevailing inflation, provide time-scale to all the employees without favoritism, raise house rent and medical grants to at least Rs ten thousand per month.
Govt stance
On 15 October 2020, the government had announced to increase the salaries of government workers by 20 % and assured to issue a proper notification within days. However, the authorities did not increase the salaries of the employees till today.
At that time, on behalf of PM Imran, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan, Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak and Secretary Finance negotiated with the protesters and promised an increase in their salaries.
Information Minister Shibli Faraz said that PM Imran was very concerned about the issues being faced by government workers and the situation in the Red Zone. The minister informed that the PM has directed the ministries concerned to resolve the employees’ issues soon.
Meanwhile addressing a press conference Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, who is part of the committee holding talks with the leaders of protesters, said that the government would give the workers a special stipend for the months before June.
He informed that a commission is also looking at the issue and will give a decision before the budget is announced and the issues will be solved. Khattak said the government was still ready to talk to the employees if they brought their demands within limits.
On this occasion, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan said the government was not any less worried for the protesters than they were themselves. He said a lot of things have been solved including up-gradation and merger, only some complicated demands are left. The committee is ready to give them relief for four months.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said the government was ready to issue notification of a 24 % increase for workers s from grade 16 to 22 whenever they say and would get it approved from the cabinet on Monday.
24 percent increase in salaries rejected
The authorities on Tuesday had announced to increase salaries of government employees, however not issued any kind of notification. The ministers have assured to issue a proper notification of rising salaries today.
Rejecting the 24 percent increase in salaries of government employees approved by the federal cabinet on Tuesday, the salaried class termed the increase highly disproportionate according to the galloping ratio of inflation.
The government employees said that they pinned high hopes with the government, however, all their hopes fizzled out. They said that if the government could not increase salaries, then it should at least control price hike. They rejected a 24% increase in salaries and announced countrywide protests.
Will the govt resolve employees’ issues amicably?
The federal budget for the fiscal year 2020-21, also disappointed government employees as their salaries have not been increased as per the price inflation.
On the other hand, the utility tariff increased manifold but the salaries remained the same. In fact due to inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic it had become difficult for small families as well as poor with limited salaries and resources to maintain expenses. Now the cost of every notable consumer item including medicines, beef, house rent, gold and cars increased significantly, affecting all types of income groups of consumers in the country.
It is clear that the government using delaying tactics to resolve the demands of protestors despite assurance to issue a proper notification soon. However, the authorities did not increase the salaries of the employees till today nor issued the notification.
The government should take the demands of government employees to increase salaries in accordance with the prevailing inflation, provide time-scale to all the employees without favoritism, raise house rent and medical grants to at least Rs ten thousand per month.
