Sindh govt says cannot pay monthly allowance to PhD holders

KARACHI: The Sindh government has decided against paying a monthly allowance of Rs25,000 to all Ph.D. degree holders, ARY News reported on Saturday.

According to details, the Ministry of Finance in a statement issued here on Saturday said that it cannot give a monthly allowance of Rs25,000 to all faculty members holding a Ph.D. as directed by Sindh High Court (SHC).

The ministry of finance in a letter written to Sindh law ministry has said that it cannot pay additional allowance to govt employees holding PhD degrees as it will put a burden on the provincial exchequer.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) earlier ordered that all PhD degree holders be given a monthly allowance of Rs25,000. The high court gave this order on a petition filed by Dr Liaquat Ali Abro.

The court had directed the Sindh chief secretary to forward a summary to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah within 15 days’ time for grant of an Rs25,000 monthly allowance to all government employees holding a PhD degree.

It had further instructed that PhD holders working in different departments should be treated on the same footing.

The petitioner complained about disparities in PhD allowances saying some PhD holders are being given a Rs25,000 monthly allowance while the others Rs10,000.

A state counsel admitted that PhD holders working in universities get a Rs25,000 allowance while other government employees a Rs10,000 PhD allowance.