THIS refers to the news report ‘Government approves 25pc increase in salaries of protesting employees’ (Feb 11). According to the report, the federal government has announced a 25pc increase in salaries of grade 1-19 federal government employees.

After reading the news, three things came to my mind: the cost of living is affecting only the government employees; the ruling elite capitulates under pressure; and the plight of the citizens, or the lesser beings, is of no concern to the people at the helm of affairs.

So, the question is: what should middle class citizens not employed by the government do to meet their day-to-day expenses in the present scenario? Should they beg, borrow or steal to cope with the rising inflation?

As a matter of fact, most of the citizens not in government employment are not entitled to pension or medical facilities, and they do not belong to the privileged class to enjoy any sort of discount while travelling or schooling their children.

They do not even get a plot of land from the government at concessional rates that they could sell at the market rate and earn a fortune.

However, when it comes to taxation, these very citizens are made to dole out every last rupee in order to remain within the ambit of law. Why this step-motherly treatment?

Furthermore, what about the claims of the government that inflation has come down to single digits? Should not the raise in salary be linked with inflation? Then, why such a massive jump of 25pc?

Lastly, as a layman, to my understanding, the more money you pump into the economy by way of increasing the purchasing power of people, the more is the tendency of upward movement of prices of daily-use products. It is a never-ending phenomenon.

In short, should we expect another salary increase of 25pc in the next six months around the time for the next budget for the government employees?

Name withheld on request
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2021