In July 2025, While the salaries of bureaucrats, parliamentarians and judges were increased as if Pakistan had struck an oil well, the minimum wage for workers was raised only marginally by the Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments — from Rs37,000 to Rs40,000 per month. Sadly, the Federal Government altogether failed to provide even this token increase and kept the min wage at the 2024 level of Rs37,000.
This omission reflects a troubling disregard for workers’ welfare and places the federal government behind not only global standards but also Pakistan’s own provinces. Assuming that this was a one-time episode of amnesia and not a wilful act of cruelty towards humans, could one request the Honourable Finance Minister to immediately raise the Federal Minimum Wage to Rs40,000 and compensate all workers through payment of arrears for the unpaid differential of the past seven months.
Naeem Sadiq
Karachi
