Shehbaz wants 10% pay raise for govt employees.

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has hit out at the federal government over its decision to not give a pay raise to the government employees and pensioners in this year's budget.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the PML-N leader demanded that the government give at least a 10% raise in to government employees. "Every year, the PML-N government would raise salaries of government employees," he said. "We [PML-N] would also give housing allowances and other facilities to government employees as well." The former Punjab chief minister said no increase in the employees' salaries is not acceptable. "Health and medical expenses have increased and everything has got very expensive. It is unfair not to increase the salaries in the current economic condition," he said.

He questioned where is the campaign to bring down prices and steps to make the lives of the poor and needy better in the budget. "No programme to help farmers was announced in the budget," he added.

Responding to Shehbaz, PTI leader Shahbaz Gill said the prime minister is aware of the issues that the government employees faced. "The economy has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. The prime minister is aware of the issues of the government employees and relief will be given as soon conditions get favourable,"...