SWABI: The Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) leaders here on Tuesday demanded a 50 per cent increase in the salary and pension of the government employees in the upcoming budget.

In a statement, the federation’s president Shaukat Ali Anjum, patron-in-chief Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin, general secretary Asad Mahmood, chairman Chaudhry Abdul Rehman demanded of the federal and provincial governments to provide effective relief to government employees, labourers and the working class in the forthcoming budget.

Mr Anjum said that the rising inflation in the country, the continuous increase in the prices of electricity, gas, petroleum products and food items had made the life of employees and the working class difficult, while millions of families were suffering from economic pressure due to the lack of appropriate increase in salaries and benefits.

The federation leaders demanded that all government employees be given 45 per cent DRA (Disparity Reduction Allowance) so that the salary disparity between employees of different institutions and departments could be eliminated.

They further said that housing had become a serious problem for government working class, so employees should be provided with government residential quarters and where the facility was not available, house rent allowance should be significantly increased in line with inflation.

They said that the continuous rise in the prices of petroleum products had increased travel expenses of employees, therefore, the conveyance allowance should be re-fixed according to the current petrol prices to provide relief to the employees.

The PWF leaders also demanded that the minimum monthly wage be fixed at Rs50,000 to protect the working class as one cannot meet the basic needs with less amount.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2026