Pakistan

No more two-day weekends

Federal govt announces public offices to resume work on Saturdays end of November.

Express November 16, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Public offices will be resuming work on Saturdays after the federal government announced the end of two weekly holidays, on Tuesday. Civil servants will resume work on Saturdays at the end of November.

The decision, approved by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, was taken after a consensus between the provinces.

The government had previously announced two weekly holidays for public offices in April, after announcing a wide-ranging strategy aimed at conserving and generating more electricity to minimise a widening gap between demand and supply. The days off were again extended in July till October 31 after an inter-provincial ministerial meeting.

Electricity consumption in Pakistan during winters is far lower as compared to the summer months. Earlier, Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) announced an end to loadshedding, saying the electricity shortfall has been covered.

COMMENTS (17)

amna | 13 years ago | Reply My city name is peshawar

Aftab | 14 years ago | Reply Issue is not that Saturday should be off or not. We have attitude problem specially Govt. employees. They do not do justice to their role and job description. even if govt. announce 7 days working nothing will change unless as an individual and as an organizations/institute we will not be motivated and honest towards our work. Ref. to above comments of Zohar Namaz break all around the world they also have lunch break timing some break for 30m and some for 1hr. in my personal opinion 5 days working and 2 days off is very good practice and it must be continued.

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Faiza Khan | 14 years ago | Reply I personally think that we already get many days off due to the sudden bombings and numerous public holidays that are a part of our calendar.sure we have to sacrifice the time and money that means a lot to us.however all this will eventually pay back in the future.our country needs hard working determined people.not lazy couch potatoes.in the end its the people who change the face of a country never the government.

Saleem | 14 years ago | Reply El Aziz's suggestion is the best. The cost of transportation or electricity is negligible compared to the productivity in a 7/7. Time is money. Maybe this is the system of the future.

Rehan | 14 years ago | Reply Saturdays not being off, is not gonna help! Moreover, it will result in more exhaustion thereby decreasing the quality of work/production.

Avinash | 14 years ago | Reply I think government offices and banks have to work for 6 days as some one rightly identified above that in western countries you don't have prayer break like people do there in offices. Secondly, our organizations specially government offices are not efficient in working which has resulted in delaying of everything with 5 days working week. To have 5 days working week: 1) Organizations need to improve first along with their working structure. 2) Attitude of employees towards work - I have seen this as a grave problem in our country as people in Government are not just committed to do work without bribe. I hope Government ll not again introduce 5 days working week, Its really problematic instead of problem solving.

M Khurram Ashfaq | 14 years ago | Reply I fully agree with the two day off week. People working in the private sector where – especially now a days – an employer objective to get an output with a minimum HR this five days working week is a blessing for the employees in the private sector. In most of the private sector the working hours go beyond eight hours in a day which ultimately put a stress on the employees. Availing two off days certainly help in easing the stress, especially when people are facing day to day problems like never ending price hike, political unrest, security, under paid and last but not the least the fear of losing the job in the name of expenditure control by the companies. With the two day off we had the opportunity to spend some quality time with our families and friends but with its termination it is going to over. If the government has a problem with its own offices and employees then it should take a proper measure to mend it rather than to punish the rest of us.

hash | 14 years ago | Reply In my view, we should have 5 working days a week, because government employees are also human beings, made to work for 6 days on minimum wages is in my view not the most motivating of options. Instead of this if our working hours are from 8-6pm every day, i think more work will get done and we will save on operating costs.

E.Aziz | 14 years ago | Reply I would suggest seven days work with alternative staff for each slot. Each person may work only three days a week and share one day every week. this way there would be three off days for one person of his choice, and nation will work 7/7. This will create more employment opportunities, add to our working hours in a week, and more personal management time for people.

Asfandyar | 14 years ago | Reply every one would love to have a 2 day rest in the week as we can spend more quality time with our loved ones but with the current position of our country we have to work for at least 6 days a weak ..so it was a good try but 6 day work is important.

Humanity | 14 years ago | Reply Did the wise legislators think of the logistical impacts that a 6-day work week would have on an already imploding infrastructure? Do they calculate the commuting cost for the employees and the operational costs for the employers? Are there roads being built or public transport being developed to ease the burden on the already over crowded systems? What about the effect on the global climate? Other countries are considering longer work days abut shorter work weeks to manage the logistical and environmental impacts. It is not surprising that Pakistan moves in the opposite direction. Pakistanis are adamant to create a 7th-century Medina-like state, anyhow. This step complies with their delusional goal!

Mohammad naeem | 14 years ago | Reply Agree with mateen. We bankers were more than happy with 2days off.

Fawad Nasir | 14 years ago | Reply thts not a kool idea, the whole world enjoys 2 week holiday, and by the way what these government officials do in 5 days tht they need one more

Hafiz shah Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Two weekly days off were efficient. It saved transport cost for the poor for one day---it ment a lot to them Yes, people tend to not put in full 8 hours---but that was true for 6 day week as well as 5 day week What difference does it make to the rich whether it is 5 days or 6 days. I say continue with 5 day week

Saleem | 14 years ago | Reply Sorry, don't agree with S.A Mateen. We cannot compare ourselves with western countries. They do not have Zuhr prayers break for which our employees leave work before 12 noon and don't return till after 2 pm. On Fridays we officially call off at 12 noon. We are already under worked. I suggest we never have two off days again. It has been a bad experience for the general public.

Faiz | 14 years ago | Reply Agreed

Syed A. Mateen | 14 years ago | Reply How the Western Countries are managing with two-day weekend? It is unfortunate that in Pakistan, neither the government, nor the private employers give enough time to the employees to manage their personal affairs, resulting in negative economy. Earlier, the two-day week end was announced for the Government Servants and NOT for the Private Servants. We give lot of examples of the West as how the Western Countries are flourishing in the World, but do not copy the Western working system due to our backward thinking. Whether there is electricity or no electricity, all employees whether government or private must have two-day weekend so that they should take proper rest and then come back on the first day of the week to work. The stale minds of Pakistan do not allow their workers to take rest which is resulting in negative growth of economy, terrorism and creating social problems for the families.

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