Government employees stage protest
While the budgetary measures show that the government is trying to offset the adverse effect of inflation on the poor, they do not indicate any significant remedy for the present financial malaise. Photo: file
On the eve of the federal budget unveiling, government employees, united under the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA), staged a demonstration in front of the Pak Secretariat on Wednesday.
The Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA), a component of AGEGA, also joined the protest, amplifying the call for reforms in allowances and pensions.
The gates of the Pak Secretariat were locked early in the morning in anticipation of the protests. The demonstrators, carrying banners and placards, voiced their demands for pay raises and pension reforms. The key demands put forth by the protestors encompassed a spectrum of financial concerns.
They called for a 200% increase in house rent allowance, medical allowance, and conveyance allowance.
Additionally, they demanded a reduction in pay disparities between employees of ministries and attached departments, emphasising the need for equitable compensation across the government workforce.
The call for a 100% increase in pensions resonated strongly among the protestors, who were also against proposed amendments to pension rules. Dr Rahima Rehman, president of the FGCTA, highlighted the significant salary gaps between employees of ministries/divisions and those of attached departments, advocating for measures to bridge this disparity.
Professor Farhan Azam, senior vice president of FGCTA, urged for the unfreezing of allowances by the government, linking their adjustment to inflation rates to ensure they remain relevant and adequate.
Professor Tahir Bhatti, the general secretary of the association emphasised the need for government policies to prioritise the welfare of less privileged employees.