Rawalpindi:
Various employees and pensioners’ associations, including All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA), all government -employed Grand Alliance (Agega), Railway Workers Union, Punjab Teachers Union, Educators Association and Railway Pensions Association, have directly rejected the new Federal Budget and noticed it a “Traditional Charade of Word.” They warn that the budget will lead to a stormy increase in inflation and push 50% of families below the poverty line.
Leaders condemned only a 10% increase in wages as “insignificant and shameful” that predicted an increase in suicide and hunger. They claimed that pension reforms have effectively “buried alive” retirement families.
Shehzad Manzoor Kiyani, Central Vice President of APCA, and Division President Chaudhry Mubashir declared that budget is a “serious joke” on government employees. They highlighted the sharp contrast to the significant wage increases for members of assemblies and ministers while employees are “buried alive.” Removal of ministries, departments, institutions and 40,000 positions will destroy the segments with lower income.
Muhammad Shafiq Bhalwalia, Central Secretary General of the Education Pensions Association, called the minimal wage increase for teachers, staff and retirees in the midst of soaring inflation “ridiculously.” He pointed out that ministers, assembly members, senators, advisers, senate chairman and assembly speeches have seen a gradual 650% increase in their wages before the budget.
He argued that a comparison between the budget records 2024-2025 and the uncontrolled increase in privileges and wages for the ruling class proves that this budget is the pro rules, but certainly not pro employees or retirees. He added that pension reforms destroy the future of employees and push them into the abyss of poverty.
Mubarak Hussain, Central Secretary -General of the Railway Workers’ Association, stated that the budget was designed to benefit the government’s cronies, with business and the trade class that harvested all the benefits of tax reductions. He accused the government of favoring its political and business fraternity and called that 10% salary increase of a “scrap allowance” and the 7% pension increases a “mockery”, similar to giving poison to pensioners.
He claimed that the government is extracting RS600 billion in taxes from employees without giving any benefit, while those who pay RS8 billion in taxes enjoy benefits throughout the year. He demanded a abolition of wage tax for employees who earned RS600,000 for RS1.2 million, and that the tax collection from those in grade 17 to 22 should only be 10%. He noted that no tax has been introduced for wages for MPs, Senators and Members of the National Assembly, which suggests that a tax of 25% must be charged on them.
Rana Liaquat and Basharat Iqbal Raja, leaders of Punjab Teachers Union and Educators Association, claimed the government has treated state institutions as a “widow” and employees as “widowers” leading to a complete loss of trust in the current administration.
