Salary raise: Clerks threaten sit-in outside Parliament

Threaten to besiege Parliament House.

RAWALPINDI:

Protesting against a 10 per cent increase in salaries, clerks in the garrison city observed a strike on Tuesday on the call of All Pakistan Clerks Association to force the government to accept their demands.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Rawalpindi APCA President Iftikhar Ahmad threatened to stage a sit-in outside Parliament House if the government failed to raise their salaries in proportion to the price hike.



Terming the increase unjustified especially for low-grade government employees he suggested that it should not be less than 50 per cent. Imposition of GST along with other taxes has badly affected our purchasing power, he said. He also urged the prime minister to make at least 85 per cent ad hoc increase in salaries of government employees given by the previous government a part of their basic pay.

He said clerks all over Punjab would first observe a strike on July 21 and later join their colleagues from across the country in Islamabad to besiege Parliament House if their demands were not met.

He appealed to the PM to increase their salaries or withdraw taxes or they would be forced to launch a countrywide protest.

“Our house rent should also be enhanced keeping in view the increase in inflation.” Ahmed said clerks are facing great hardship and the imposition of taxes is an attempt to force them to commit suicide if their salaries are not increased. “If that happens, the government will be directly responsible,” he warned.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2013.