PWD employees fed up with delays in salaries

ISLAMABAD: A large number of disgruntled employees of Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak-PWD) held a protest on Tuesday in front of their department headquarters in Sector G-9. Their primary complaint was that they had not received their salaries on time, yet again.

Numbering around 4,000, the protestors included lower-ranking staff like plumbers, electricians, pump drivers, and carpenters, whose salaries range from Rs8,000 to Rs12,000.

A department official attributed the problem to a lack of funds at the finance division.

Nasir, one of the protestors said, “Our salaries are very minimal. The only reason people choose to go into government service is because the salary is given on time.”

According to the protestors, salaries were not paid on time last month either. But the official said that it is hoped the staff will get it within the next two days.

Ijaz, a staff member, said the department had promised the same thing last month, but they had actually received it towards the end of the month.

“I did not have a single rupee in my pocket yesterday and had to walk from Sector F-7 to Sector G-8; it took me 2 hours,” another employee said.

The new budget stated that government employees will get a 50 per cent pay increase. However, the PWD workers protesting on Tuesday were sceptical.

“We are not even getting what we are entitled to. A 50 per cent pay raise sounds like a dream,” said Javed.

Published in the Express Tribune, June, 9^th, 2010.