Punjab interim caretaker government announced a 20% increase in pensions for people over 80 in the budget, along with a 30% salary rise for public employees.
For those between the ages of 60 and 80, in particular, the pension increase will depend on a variety of variables. They will be given a 5% rise as opposed to the 17.5% increase that both the federal and Sindh governments provided to all pensioners.
Additionally, a one billion rupee endowment fund for journalists has been established, which remains a mystery since there are not many details about the fund available.
Interim Chief Minister of Punjab Mohsin Naqvi presided over the 17th cabinet meeting on Monday at the civil secretariat. Ministers, advisers, the chief secretary, IG police, Chairman P&D, and administrative secretaries were present during the meeting.
The finance secretary gave a presentation of the budget’s main components for the next fiscal year.
The majority of government employees and elderly pensioners objected to the interim caretaker government budget in Punjab. The interim administration led by Mohsin Naqvi failed to impress the government workers by not even following the federal budget.
A retired government worker says that a 5% pension increase is nothing more than a smack in the face to those who have worked for the government for decades. This 5% rise won’t help because the country’s inflation rate is now at an all-time high and individuals are struggling to meet their needs.
Many former government workers criticized this 5% raise decision and blasted the caretaker setup for getting to such a “senseless and illogical” conclusion.
One of the primary justifications offered by the interim administration is a lack of financing for pension increases, however, it is amazing that Sindh, KP, and Balochistan, which have fewer resources and funding than Punjab, were able to provide some assistance to the public while the interim administration in Punjab failed miserably.
Since assuming office, the interim administration in Punjab has done everything but what they were supposed to do, which was to follow its mandate and call provincial elections.
There is complete discreteness when it comes to providing relief to the public, even though the caretaker CM Moshin Naqvi and specifically the caretaker information minister Amir Mir have been having press conference after press conference on matters that aren’t important to them and are really against their mandate.
Initially, it was not the responsibility of interim administrations to offer budgets since, following the dissolution of the Punjab government led by CM Parvaiz Elahi, elections were supposed to be held within 60 days, allowing a legitimately elected government to present budgets and make decisions. The temporary administration has gone beyond its mandate yet has done little to further the general welfare.
The fact that Pakistan’s largest province is being managed by individuals who have no experience in politics or managing the operations of the government makes such decisions nothing more than amusement. In a province like Punjab, the absence of an elected administration is a grave injustice, and judging by the current political climate, it is difficult to foresee when this farce will come to an end. Instead of establishing a fund for journalists that no one knows who will end up in whose pocket, the interim arrangement should raise ex-employees’ pensions at least to the level of the rest of Pakistan.
