RAWALPINDI: Pensioners and government employees of the local government department on Saturday expressed their displeasure over the delay in the issuance of the notification for increase in their salary and pension as promised by the Punjab government in the annual budget 2022-23.

The former provincial government, led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had announced an increase of 15pc in the salary of government employees and 5pc in pension. However, the local government department has still not issued the notification.

Municipal Pensioners Action Committee President Tahir Mehmood toldDawn that the government did not increase the pension as promised in the annual budget due to which the pensioners were facing a host of problems.

Mohammad Khan, a pensioner of the RMC, said many senior citizens depended on their pensions and the government was not paying any heed to this issue, adding that there was a dire need to give former employees a raise.

He said utility bills had increased while inflation had made the lives of the common man difficult, adding that their pension was not even sufficient for their medicines.

Rafiq Ahmed, a former employee, said the government had announced an increase in their pension but they had still not received the revised payment.

He further said usually the increased salary and pension were released with effect from July.

When contacted, Commissioner Noorul Amin Mengal said the government had increased the salaries of its employees and the finance department issued the notification in this regard last month.

However, he said as far as the local government was concerned, the board had to decide the increase and then issue notification.

“It is not a big issue as the notification will be issued soon and the employees and pensioners will get their arrears,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2022