Govt employees announce protest in Balochistan demanding increase in minimum wage

Quetta, June 11 (IANS) The grand alliance of various government employees’ associations and trade unions have announced two-day protest and sit-in camps in Pakistan’s Balochistan to raise their demands and protest against the government’s actions against workers who are involved in the struggle for their rights, local media reported on Thursday.

The organiser of the alliance, Abdul Quddus Kakar, announced that the protest in Balochistan will begin on Thursday, and a sit-in will be held on June 15, Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn reported. He slammed the government for its “failure to address the concerns of workers and ordinary citizens.”

The alliance called for raising the minimum wage as per the inflation and demanded the elimination of salary disparities between federal and provincial employees. The alliance demanded equal pay and benefits for employees in the same grades, Dawn reported.

Earlier on June 2, leaders of the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) Punjab said that the soaring inflation in Pakistan has reduced the purchasing power of government employees, making it difficult for them to manage household expenses from their limited incomes.

In a joint statement on June 2, AGEGA leadership stated that provincial government employees, especially those in Punjab and other provinces, have not yet received the 30 per cent disparity allowance announced in the Federal Budget 2025-26, Pakistan’s other leading daily, The Express Tribune, reported. They stated that the Punjab government’s recent amendments to leave encashment rules have deprived employees of substantial leave encashment benefits, which they receive after retirement.

The alliance alleged that retired and serving employees of Punjab are facing reductions in pension, gratuity and leave encashment benefits. They urged Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to announce measures for government employees in the Federal Budget 2026-27.

They have called for the extension of the 30 per cent disparity allowance announced in the Federal Budget 2025-26 to employees of all provinces, an additional 15 per cent increase, and the withdrawal of pension reforms, The Express Tribune reported.

In addition, they have demanded the merger of all ad hoc relief allowances into the basic pay scale and a comprehensive revision of pay structures, a rise of at least 50 per cent in salaries and pensions as per the current inflation and a minimum fivefold hike in house rent, medical and conveyance allowances.

–IANS

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