ISLAMABAD, July 23: Over 1,200 teachers working under Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) who were promoted in basic pay scales (BPS) through time scale formula could not get the salary for the month of June.

Their problems will further increase because employees of the Auditor General of Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) are on strike and teachers revised salary slips could not be prepared, Dawn has learnt.

According to sources, on June 15, 1,071 teachers of BPS 18 to 20, and over 250 teachers of BPS 16 to 17 were promoted through time scale formula but they are still waiting for their salaries.

A teacher requesting not to be quoted said at the start of the month of July, they started waiting for the salary but they were told that it will take some days to prepare revised salary slips.

“After a fortnight we started asking about the salary from account sections but we only got promises. Now account section has told us that employees of AGPR have been demanding a bonus equaling one basic salary — a similar bonus has already been approved for CBR. So they are on strike and as long as they are on strike, revised salary slips cannot be prepared,” he said.

“Month of Ramazan has started and if strike continues we will not get the salary even at the time of Eid, so government should take necessary steps to solve the issue,” he said.

Another teacher requesting anonymity said that there is confusion about salaries and there are some teachers who have been claiming that their salaries have been reduced.

A teacher said the employees of AGPR are on strike but they managed to get a rough statement and came to know that previously his salary was Rs28,400 and now after getting time scale promotion his salary has been reduced by Rs200 and his new salary will be Rs28,200.

“We do not know what is going on in AGPR but at least decision makers should consider our problems because it has become difficult for us to afford our expenses,” he said.

Spokesman for Federal Government College Teachers Association Prof Tahir Mehmood, while talking to Dawn, said teachers who have not received their salary have been suffering. They have to run their houses and for that money is required.

“There are also ambiguities regarding salary slips of teachers and they have been complaining that their salary will be decreased. Relevant department should take steps to resolve the issue,” he said.

Joint Secretary of Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Rafique Tahir said salary delays were a normal practice after promotion but strike of AGPR employees had further increased the problem.

“We have been trying to solve the issue but I have heard that AGPR employees are planning not to prepare the salary of all employees for the month of July. In that case, the issue will further increase. As far as decrease in amount of salary is concerned, some times it happens that salary decreases because of technical errors but it is for sure that teachers’ salaries will be increased,” he said.