ISLAMABAD: The government has finalised a “special dispensation package” for its civilian employees in grades 1 to 16, who have been protesting for an increase in salaries, citing inflation and alleged discrimination.

The package, involving an additional annual impact of around Rs1 billion and finalised by the finance ministry after negotiations with the All-Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA), has been submitted to the prime minister for approval before a formal notification.

The package, which is on the pattern of a similar dispensation given to employees of the Khyber Pakhtun­khwa government, will come into force on Jan 1.

To be announced as a “New Year gift” to the non-gazetted employees, the package will not apply to employees paid out of the defence budget and will cost just Rs500 million during the remaining fiscal year, which ends in June.

These employees, thro­ugh their numerous unions and representative bodies, have been agitating for improvement in the service structure of their cadres along with financial amelioration.

Most demands presented by these employees and organisations were based on seeking parity with the benefits that have been granted in the provincial governments.

The main demands included the upgradation for the post of the lower division clerk (LDC) from basic pay scale (BPS) 9 to 11 and the upper division clerk (UDC) from BPS 11 to 14, besides grant of higher pay scale along the lines of those authorised by the KP government, i.e. two high pay scales to employees in BPS-1 to 5 and one high pay scale to those in BPS-6 to 15.

During the four-year PTI government that ended in April, an agreement was concluded between the AGEGA and the ministers for defence, interior and parliamentary affairs that included the upgradation of posts on the pattern of the KP government.

All demands decided under that agreement were met except those related to upgradation, giving cause to continuous unrest and agitation among the employees.

The finance ministry and the establishment division, the government’s human resource arm, re-engaged the protesting representatives of the employees’ alliance and reached a mutually acceptable ground on the analogy of the KP government.

Under the finalised package, the employees in BPS 1 to 5 will be granted two higher pay scales as a one-time dispensation if they have yet to avail timescale promotion (TSP) under the 2022 policy.

However, those in the same grade who have availed the promotion will be granted one higher pay scale as a one-time dispensation.

In BPS 6 to 15, employees who have not availed TSP 2022 will be granted the next higher pay scale as a one-time dispensation, whereas those who have availed the benefit will only be granted one additional increment of their current pay scale.

However, the substantive pay scales of all the above categories will remain unchanged. Also, employees in BPS 16 will be granted one additional increment as a one-time dispensation.

Moreover, the post of LDC will be upgraded from BPS 9 to BPS 11 and that of UDC from BPS 11 to 13, along with incumbents. The recruitment rules will be amended by the establishment division accordingly as per the upgradation policy.

However, these special dispensations will only apply to those civil servants of the federal government who are in BPS 1 to 16 (excluding employees paid out of defence estimates) and are in receipt of disparity reduction allowances.

Besides, one chance of granting a higher timescale, admissible under TSP 2022, will be considered lapsed for employees who avail of the benefit under this dispensation. This special dispensation will not involve any upgradation of the posts except the posts of UDC and LDC and no premature increment will be admissible on grant of the higher pay scale under this dispensation.

The beneficiary of the grant of a higher pay scale under this dispensation shall continue to draw allowances, perks, privileges, etc., sanctioned for the substantive pay scale of the beneficiary.

The substantive pay scale is one that a civil servant regularly acquires through initial appointment or by means of promotion or appointment by transfer.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2022