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Express Tribune
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
K-P govt employees protest for pay, perks
USC employees had launched a sit-in in the federal capital, protesting against the government's plans to close the organisation under its rightsizing initiative last month. PHOTO: FILE Government employees from across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa staged a protest at Assembly Chowk on Monday, demanding a pay raise in line with inflation, a 30 per cent disparity allowance similar to the federal model, and the implementation of a minimum monthly wage of Rs50,000. Protesters blocked Khyber Road for all types of traffic, leading to significant disruptions in the city. Carrying placards and banners, the demonstrators chanted slogans against the provincial government. They criticized the recent pay and pension increases10 per cent and seven percent respectivelyas insufficient in the face of soaring inflation. The protesters demanded a 30 per cent disparity allowance similar to federal employees, a 50 per cent increase in salaries in line with inflation, a minimum wage of Rs50,000. They also demanded transition of CP Fund employees to the GP Fund and withdrawal of the recently imposed pension reform laws. Opposition leader in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Dr Ibadullah, joined the protest and assured the demonstrators that their demands were legitimate. He pledged to raise their concerns on the floor of the provincial assembly and give voice to their grievances in the legislative forum. The protest caused major traffic jams on GT Road, creating hardships for commuters in the sweltering heat. Attempts at negotiation between the police and protest leaders failed, prompting the deployment of additional police forces. Law enforcement agencies ultimately resorted to tear gas shelling to disperse the crowd. Following the police action, the protesters disbanded, and traffic was gradually restored. Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Secretary General Muhammad Humayun Khan strongly condemned the use of tear gas and violence against protesting government employees at the Assembly Chowk, calling the incident deeply disturbing and unacceptable. He said the PPP denounces the brutal treatment meted out to government workers who were merely demanding a raise in their salaries. "The scenes from Assembly Chowk are painful. Those seeking rightful wage increases should not be treated like enemies," he remarked. Criticizing the PTI-led provincial government, Humayun Khan said it is incapable of delivering anything beyond exploitation. "Why is the government troubled by demands for fair wages? Even during tough economic times, the PPP increased salaries of public servants," he added. He further stated that lower-grade employees have fallen below the poverty line and that economic exploitation of government workers will only hinder national progress. "We recognize the protesters' democratic right and stand in solidarity with them," Khan affirmed. He condemned the use of tear gas and batons, particularly against women protesters, terming it a reprehensible act. "Public servants are not enemies - they are poor Pakistanis asking for their rights. The government's violent response is absolutely intolerable." Khan called on the provincial government to accept the legitimate demands of the employees and to immediately release those who have been arrested. "Every citizen has the right to peaceful protest. It should never be suppressed through force," he concluded.
Express Tribune
20-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Cabinet okays uplift, pension reforms
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet, in its 34th meeting held on Friday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, approved a series of development initiatives and administrative reforms aimed at strengthening infrastructure, healthcare, public service delivery, and pension management across the province. One of the major decisions included the approval for procurement of 50 additional diesel-hybrid buses for the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system at a cost of Rs3.2 billion. This move comes in response to the growing public demand and recent expansion of BRT routes from six to eight, including new routes DR-11, DR-13, and DR-14. With this addition, the BRT fleet will grow beyond the current 244 buses, improving service frequency and coverage. The cabinet also approved the merger of four ADP scheme campuses of the "ZamungKor" Model Institute for State Children in Swat, DI Khan, Abbottabad, and Peshawar Girls Campus into the main Peshawar-based autonomous body. The merger aims to streamline operations and improve care for over 1,000 children currently enrolled across the facilities. In a significant financial reform, the cabinet approved Pak Qatar Asset Management as the 13th asset management company under the Contributory Provident (CP) Fund Rules 2022. The CP Fund, introduced in 2015, is part of pension reforms shifting from an unfunded to a funded pension model, ensuring sustainability and investment of pension contributions through SECP-registered firms. The cabinet passed several legal amendments, including revisions to the K-P Right to Public Services Act, 2014. The updates aim to enhance e-governance, coordination, and public accountability, while also introducing provisions for marginalized communities. Amendments were also made to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Public Private Partnership Rules 2021, reducing the bidder response time from 60 to 30 days, to accelerate project delivery. Health sector improvements were also prioritized, with the cabinet approving enhanced funding for several ongoing projects. These include an increase in cost for Balakot's Category-C Hospital from Rs575 million to Rs924.596 million, conversion of 50 rural health centers into 24/7 facilities (Rs1.7 billion), and upgrade of 200 Basic Health Units for round-the-clock maternal care (Rs2.96 billion). Additionally, a Rs346 million grant was sanctioned for modern equipment at Peshawar Institute of Cardiology. The cabinet also approved a non-ADP scheme worth Rs124 million to resume salaries for Provincial Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (PERRA) staff and directed the issuance of termination notices to contract employees from July 2025. Other approvals included financial assistance of Rs10 million for a cancer patient, appointment of Rubab Mehdi as K-P's Ombudsperson, and inclusion of Makniyal in Urban Area Development Authority Haripur. Further allocations included Rs1.5 billion for transformer repair, Rs1.041 billion for settling PESCO dues, and Rs400 million for irrigation sector maintenance. The cabinet lifted a vehicle procurement ban to allow two official vehicles for District and Sessions Judges in Mohmand and Khyber and approved outsourcing of tobacco cess collection (excluding factories). The cabinet also sanctioned the hiring of legal counsel for an anti-narcotics case in the Supreme Court and reviewed land utilization and timber trade mechanisms in Upper Kohistan and Chitral.
