‘Public, private sectors flout minimum wage law’
FBR considering charging higher rates of income tax from those who are outside the tax net. PHOTO: REUTERS
Parliamentary Secretary for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OPHRD) Syed Agha Rafiullah on Wednesday informed the National Assembly (NA) that the minimum wage set by the federal government was not being implemented in letter and spirit by the public and private sectors alike.
The minister lamented that even the Parliament’s cafeteria was dodging policies regarding the minimum wage policy.
He made these remarks while raising a query during the question hour session on behalf of MNA Jam Abdul Karim Bijar, about the fact that many government institutions that were even registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) did not pay minimum wages set by the government. Agha Rafiullah said the staff at the Parliament’s cafeteria were being paid Rs18,000 per month. He added that there was no implementation of the minimum wage set by the government that should be taken to task by the NA. He demanded that the speaker should give a ruling to the NA’s Committee on Finance seeking a report on the implementation of a minimum wage of Rs25,000 set by the government in all the public departments including defense-related entities. Raja Pervez Ashraf gave the ruling that the finance committee should seek a report on minimum wage and take measures for its implementation at the federal level.
Moulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali of MMAP also pointed out that a delegation of lecturers serving in the model colleges of the federal capital on a contractual basis met and informed him that they were paid Rs20,000 per month whereas they were MPhil qualified.
Chitrali said it is highly deplorable that such highly qualified teachers were earning such a low income. “At least they shall be paid a minimum wage of Rs40,000 to Rs50,000.”
Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha responded that the issue was related more to the provincial departments that were responsible to ensure minimum wage implementation in the public and private sectors.
“This is a matter related to provincial governments, however, if minister Rafiullah has specific examples involving a federal entity, then he should share them so that they could be sent to the relevant committee,” she added. However, the speakers on the occasion interjected that the committee should ensure the minimum wage implementation at least at the federal level. Referring to MNA Chitrali’s question, she said the member’s query would be shared with the NA Committee on Education so that it could address the matter.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 6th, 2023.