Prime Minister (PM), Shehbaz Sharif, has officially announced a huge increase in the executive allowance for government officers of the federal secretariat.
Following consultations with the Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, the premier announced a 150% increment for officers from grades 17 to 22. The new executive allowance will be applied to the 2017 basic salary and it will take effect from 1 January 2023.
The decision comes at a time when the country’s economy is facing unprecedented multi-faceted threats. It is tantamount to rubbing salt in the wounds of citizens who are struggling to make ends meet.
Forex reserves are dwindling and PKR is depreciating while the country faces an imminent shortage of essential commodities due to a lack of opening of letters of credit (LCs) for imports.
Petroleum prices have been raised by Rs. 35 per liter. The federal government was coerced into announcing the petroleum price hike two days before the scheduled fortnightly review.
Petrol pump owners across the country pushed the government towards a premature decision as they created an artificial shortage, anticipating an increase of Rs. 50 per liter based on social media rumors.
To compound the woes of the citizens, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has also notified an increase of Rs. 60 per kg in the prices of LPG.
There is no relief in sight for the citizens as the team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is in the country these days for the ninth review of the loan program and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has shared a roadmap with the IMF officials to impose additional Rs. 300 billion taxes on the citizens.
The govt. employees of sectors who are actually working is not being increased, they are only increasing pay of their own buddies.