ISLAMABAD: The government has accepted the demand of union leaders of Wapda and approved a sizeable increase in salary of employees working for different electricity distribution companies (Discos) in the country.

A notification issued by the Pakistan Electric Power Company said that Pepco’s board of directors had approved a 25 per cent increase in the basic pay of employees of BPS-1 to -19 working for different electricity distribution companies.

The pay raise will be effective from March 1 this year. The move will benefit 140,000 employees of distribution companies working under Pepco (Wapda).

The issue was raised by union leaders of the All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union.

They launched a protest movement throughout the country for the acceptance of their demands.

A number of protest demonstrations were held in the federal capital and other cities which gained momentum when the federal government announced a similar raise in the salaries of employees working in other ministries and departments.

Apart from the protest movement which put considerable pressure on the government, CBA representatives Khurshid Ahmed, Abdul Latif Nizamani, Haji Ramzan Achakzai and Haji Muhammad Iqbal Khan held several meetings with federal Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan and the federal secretary for energy.

Their talks proved successful and Pepco announced the disparity reduction allowance for employees of power distribution companies.

Pepco has also directed all Discos to place the matter before their respective board of directors’ meetings for consideration and appropriate action.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2021