ISLAMABAD, May 25: After assurances by finance managers that their woes will be addressed in the upcoming budget 2011-12, teachers and clerks demanding higher pays on Wednesday called off their plans to go on strike.

The representatives of All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) and the Punjab Teachers Union (PTU) met with Finance Secretary Dr Waqar Masood, who assured them that finding solutions to financial difficulties of the government employees would be a priority in the coming budget.

Earlier, teachers and clerks gathered outside the D Chowk in front of the Parliament House on Wednesday and staged a sit-in. They demanded increase in salaries in accordance with the recommendations of the Pay and Pension Commission.

Addressing the participants of the rally, the representatives of teachers and clerks said the salaries should be increased in accordance with inflation rate. They also demanded regularisation of employees working in the public sector organisations on contracts.

Nazar Hussain Korai, central president APCA, said the association was an apolitical entity fighting for the rights of grade 1-16 employees.

He said the salaries of employees were increased once in a year but inflation “hits the poor after every 15 days”. He regretted that the rulers were least bothered about the problems of the government employees as they don't have to face the increase in prices of electricity, petrol, diesel, pulses, sugar, flour, edible oil and daily commodities.

President PTU Syed Sajjad Akbar Kazmi said the quality of life for the white collar employees was declining.

He said the electricity prices have been increased by 23 per cent, diesel by 70 per cent, and the prices of sugar and other edible items, including pulses, oil and onion, have gone up by 100 per cent. Other speakers demanded that all government employees on contract be given relief in salaries, asking to revise their pay scales.

Demanding Rs3,000 increase in medical allowance, they said the house rent should be increased by 70 per cent and transportation allowance by 100 per cent.

They demanded implementation of the recommendations of the Pay and Pension commission, terming it a long-term solution to the problems faced by low and mid-level employees.