Staff Reporter Islamabad
The Federal Government on Thursday announced a 25 per cent increase in the salaries of its employees from grades 1 to 19 on an “ad-hoc” basis, a day after the capital saw tear gas shelling amid protests by hundreds of government workers.
Defense Minister Pervez Khattak said this while addressing a press conference with Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan. The Interior Minister had announced last night that negotiations with protesting government employees had been successful.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday also approved increase in salaries of the government employees.
The government negotiating team including Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid, Defense Minister Pervez Khattak and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan called on the prime minister and apprised him about the progress made in talks with the protestors.
Sources said the Prime Minister, after briefing the officials of the Ministry of Finance and the negotiating committee, approved the increase in the salaries of government employees, but this approval will also be sought from the Cabinet.
Meanwhile, according to a notification issued by the ministry of finance in this regard, Disparity Reduction Allowance 25% of the basic pay shall be allowed to those civil employees in BPS (1-19) of the federal government who have never been allowed additional salary equal to or more than 100% of the basic pay (whether frozen or not) or performance allowance w.e.f. 01 March, 2021.
The posts BPS (1-16) or equivalent will be upgraded on the pattern of Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa w.e.f. 01 March 2021.
The grant of time-scale 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. Provinces will be recommended for adoption of above from their own resources.
Earlier, negotiations between federal government committee and protesting government employees took place on Wednesday night and the government assured increase in salaries of Grade 1 to 22 employees in the next budget.
Interior Minister Shaikh Rasheed in a media talk here said that the federal government will also issue directives to the provinces about settlement of the matter with employees.
“The prime minister talked with the chief ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab on Thursday, hopefully, the issue will also be resolved at the provincial level,” Pervez Khattak said. “An up-gradation for all employees has been decided in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab,” Khattak further said.
“It will start in June after the budget,” he said. “The adhoc release will merge in their pay scales in June budget,” Khattak said. He thanked the federal employees and said, ” What happened yesterday, won’t have happen. We are using our full energies to solve your problems,” addressing the employees he added.
Rashid said the government would remain in contact with the employees and increases would be made in the salaries of government employees from grades 20 to 22 in the next budget. He clarified, however, that the salary increase was for federal
employees and employees of the federal secretariat.
In response to a question about policemen themselves being affected during the previous day’s tear gas shelling, he said the cabinet would approve the release of funds so that money could be provided to police for “equipment that is in short supply”.
