ISLAMABAD: Following the unprecedented increase in the fuel and electricity tariffs, government employees have decided to hold a token sit-in outside the Ministry of Finance from Monday before holding a dharna on Thursday, demanding a raise in their salaries.

The All Government Employees Grand Alliance on Friday announced that the Secretariat employees will hold a token sit-in of an hour outside of finance ministry to press the government for increasing the salaries of government employees in the upcoming budget in accordance with the inflation.

Alliance’s Chief Coordinator Rehman Bajwa told Dawn that the employees should be given 50pc pay increase.

“The purpose of our token sit-in will be to sensitise the government on the issue of the employees. On June 9, we will hold a dharna which will be participated by thousands of employees from across the country,” he said and added that the government had increased petroleum prices by up to Rs60 per litre which will cause a hike in the prices of other items. Therefore, the government employees should be given a raise in their salaries in accordance with the inflation rate, he said, adding: “50pc increase is our minimum demand.”

He said the employees will not call off their strike until getting an assurance from the government to increase salaries and implement last year’s agreement under which the government had promised to end the ad hoc relief and make it a part of regular salaries besides upgradation of the employees.

He also demanded that the Pay and Pension Commission report should be finalised and made public within a few days.

“Employees are apolitical, we have nothing to do with politics but we will take to streets for our rights,” said Mr Bajwa.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2022