Planning ministry employees demand increase in executive allowances

ISLAMABAD: The employees of Planning Ministry have staged a protest rally in Islamabad, demanding a 150 percent increase in their executive allowances, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

According to details, the employees of Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives held a protest rally from Block-P to Block-Q against the Finance Ministry.

The protesters were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans and their demands. They were demanding the implementation of 150pc increase in executive allowances. The ministry’s affairs were disrupted due to the demonstration.

The protestors have threatened to boycott meetings of the ministry, Executive Committee of the National Economic Council and other platforms if their demands were not accepted.

The employees claimed that the finance division has flouted the orders of the federal cabinet, adding that the executive allowance was awarded only to a certain group of bureaucrats.

The finance division’s notification is a malicious violation of the Cabinet’s decision, the demonstrators said, adding that a protest would be stage on a daily basis for two hours from tomorrow.

The protestors have also threatened to boycott office work from Monday until the government fulfills their demands. They have also decided to move court against the Finance Division’s notification.

Earlier in July, the federal government decided to give an executive allowance to the government officers of grade 17 to 22 amid an economic crisis.

According to the notification issued in this regard, an executive allowance equal to 150% of the basic salary will be given to the government officers of grade 17 to 22.

Informed sources told ARY News that all the officers of grade 17 to 22 under the establishment division will get an allowance. The notification further said that the officers of the Federal Secretariat, PM Office, and President Secretariat will also get an allowance.