SWABI: Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) leaders here on Sunday asked both the public and private sectors to increase minimum wages of workers to enable them to meet basic needs of their families amid unprecedented food inflation, which has reached close to 50 per cent.

Though the government has fixed minimum wage at Rs25,000, it has failed to implement it effectively.

Shaukat Ali Anjum, the country coordinator of PWF, said due to unbearable increase in prices of essential commodities the workers had been passing through great hardships in the absence of a mechanism to force employers to increase their wages.

“Many industrial units have laid off workers because they are also in hot waters,” he said.

Anwar Kamal Khan, president of Local Government Employees Federation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said rising price inflation had stressed workers out, and asked the government to effectively implement the minimum wage policy.

RECOVERED: The police on Sunday arrested three thieves and recovered the stolen motorcycles, spare parts, solar panels and other items from their possession. DSP Chota Lahor Shafiur Rehman said the thieves lifted motorcycles and other items from houses and then sold them at throwaway prices in the bazaars.

He said one of the arrested thieves, Afsar Ali of Jehangira village used to lift motorcycles and sell their parts in the market.

He said Ramzan Khan and Aamir Khan, also residents of Jahangira, were arrested for stealing solar panels from a house the other day.

Meanwhile, the police arrested four persons and recovered charas, two Kalashnikovs and pistols from them on Sunday.

Separately, the Swabi city police registered an FIR in the murder case of three people against accused, Mayid Ali, Anas Khan, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Bahadar and Kamil Khan under sections 302, 324, 148, 149, 109 and 427 of Pakistan Panel Code.

SHO Ajab Durrani said none of the accused had so far been arrested.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2023