HARDLY a day passes when the miserable plight of the Government employees does not find place in national media but regrettably the relevant authorities are unmoved and not willing to take tangible measures to address their grievances. While employees of the Federal Secretariat staged a sit-in before premises of the Finance Ministry in Islamabad on Monday, employees of Metro Bus Authority were forced once again to go on strike over non-payment of salaries.
It is acknowledged by the Government itself that the inflation was consistently on the rise and the cost of living has gone up significantly. The situation has affected all segments of the society but fixed income groups are the worst sufferers as they find it difficult to manage their household budgets without downgrading their standard of living including education of their children. In the face of lollipop by the authorities concerned, the federal employees have now given an ultimatum threatening to stage a regular sit-in before the Parliament House if their demand for increase in salary was not accepted by December 31. No doubt, the Government has constituted a Pay Commission, which has started its work, but it is also a fact that it will take relatively longer time to come out with recommendations and no one knows when and to what extent the Government would accept is proposals. There are also genuine complaints that the Commission has agenda other than consideration of respectable increase in pays and pensions as it has also been asked to bring up financially-viable solutions to offset Rs1.5 trillion annual drain from the exchequer. It is also regrettable that deliberate attempts are being made to cause harm to Metro Bus project that is a source for provision of dignified travel to the people. We hope that the Prime Minister would take notice of the plight of government employees and ensure payment of salaries to MBA staff.
