Balochistan employees assured 25% pay raise

Alliance calls off protest after negotiations with govt

QUETTA:

Balochistan Employees and Workers Grand Alliance on Thursday called off protest after the assurance by the provincial minister of a 25 per cent increase in salaries of government officers.

“The alliance has announced to end the demonstration after their demand for increase in salaries have been accepted which was justified,” said Balochistan Finance Minister Zahoor Buledi while addressing a joint press conference with the alliance Convener Abdul Malik Kakar.

Leaders of the alliance, including Dad Mohammad Baloch, Habibur Rehman, Ali Bakhsh Jamali, Salam Zehri, Yunus Kakar, Professor Hameed Khan, Mohammad Qasim, Dar Mohammad Langau, Mama Salam, Pir Mohammad Kakar and Executive Council of Grand Alliance were also present on the occasion.

The provincial minister also announced a 15 per cent disaster allowance for the government employees.

Earlier, the negotiations were held between the representatives of the alliance and a government negotiation committee headed by Buledi and joined by ACS Arshad Majeed, Finance secretary, Services and General Administration Department Secretary Bilal Jamali and provincial Law Secretary Akbar Harifal.

The finance minister said the provincial budget for financial year 2021-22 would be presented in the assembly on Friday (today) wherein the government was trying to provide relief for all segments of the province.

“It was decided that 10 per cent amount of the salaries of the government employees would be released immediately,” he said, adding the government would allocate a 15 per cent special employee allowance for the officers of grade one to 19.

The remaining 10 per cent amount would be given during the period of three months, while the government would further increase the pay as the economic situation improved.

“Other demands of the alliance including, health risk allowance, survival of the fittest, increase in MPhil and Phd allowance, issuance of health cards, construction of affordable housing for employees, formation of service structure and pension will be addressed after the budget,” he said.

Buledi said the increase in salaries of the employees would be formally announced in the budget speech and a notification in this regard would be issued, while the government had a number of incentives for the government workers in the pipeline that would be discussed with the alliance later.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^h, 2021.