Islamabad: In an apparent ‘U-turn’ from Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of an increase in salaries of government employees, former Finance Minister and senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Miftah Ismail, said on Wednesday that since the salaries were raised a couple of months ago, the government is not raising them again, media reports said.
In his maiden address as Prime Minister on the floor of the National Assembly, Sharif had announced an increase in salaries, pensions and minimum wage for labourers, Express Tribune reported.
He said the PTI-led government left the country’s economy in tatters with the current account deficit and other economic indicators “worsening”.
Sharif announced raising the minimum wage to Rs 25,000 and a 10 per cent hike in pensions of retired government employees. Government employees earning less than Rs 1,00,000 were also promised a 10 per cent raise.
“Since the federal government employees’ salaries were raised a couple of months ago, we are not raising them again,” Miftah wrote on his official Twitter handle, stating that it was not a “U-turn”.
Miftah, however, said that the salary issue will be considered in the next budget.
“Meanwhile, we raised pensions of retired government employees. I hope this clarifies any confusion,” he added, the report said.
–IANS