SWABI: Leaders of Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) here on Thursday demanded of the government to take practical steps for the welfare of workers in the upcoming budget, saying in the wake of coronavirus pandemic they had virtually lost opportunities to earn livelihood.

Talking to mediapersons here, they urged the government to fix the minimum wage for workers at Rs40,000.

On this occasion, national coordinator of PWF Shaukat Ali Anjum also handed over to mediapersons a copy of letter written to Prime Minister Imran Khan in which the federation had elaborated problems being faced by workers in the country.

The letter signed by the federation’s central general secretary Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin stated that a five-member family needed in a month Rs215 in 1970, Rs3,028 in 1990, Rs10,300 in 2000, Rs19,210 in 2012, Rs 27,736 in 2014, Rs36,215 in 2016, Rs43,454 in 2018 and Rs76,151 in the current year to meet the routine expenses.

PWF writes to PM about the issue

Keeping this in view, the trade unions demanded that the minimum wage for workers should be fixed in the coming budget at no less than Rs40,000.

The PWF leaders also demanded of the government to fully implement the labour laws.

Meanwhile, the retired government employees demanded 25 per cent increase in their pensions in the upcoming budget.

In a chat with this correspondent, a group of retired employees said that last year the government did not increase a single penny in their pension despite rising prices of essential commodities.

BROTHERS KILLED: Two brothers were killed in a clash over use of a narrow street in Ismailia village of Razaar tehsil here the other day, said police and Rescue 1122 officials.

Registering an FIR, Ashiq Ullah told police that his brothers and their neighbours had exchanged hot words over the use of street.

He said the accused had threatened them that they would not be allowed to go through the narrow street to reach their house.

He alleged that Mohammad Kamal, Mir Kamal and their father Zarnosh Khan opened fire on his brothers Saad Ali, 47, and Wajid Ali, 41, leaving them seriously injured.

The two were taken to tehsil headquarters hospital, but did not survive.

The police registered an FIR and have started investigations.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2021