Pak officials to stage protest against non-payment of executive allowance

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The officers and low cadre groups of some more ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting have decided to protest against the non-payment of executive allowance, The News International reported.

The employees of different ministries who do not have access to the executive allowance will hold protests outside the Pakistan Secretariat from next week. The Economists Group and technical cadres from the Planning Ministry have been boycotting the important official meetings that have been taking place in the last couple of weeks, as per The News International report.

Officers from the Foreign Office, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, MS Wing of Establishment Division and Cabinet Division have also decided to become part of a joint protest rally in front of the Ministry of Finance from next week, as per the news report.

The officers have said that the executive allowance was given to influential groups like DMG and others. However, they noted that the officers of the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting do not have access to executive allowance, leaving them with no option but to hold a protest, as per The News International report.

The protesters have said that they have been waiting for the executive allowance for several months. However, their demand has been ignored by the government. “We were given lolly pop but the commitments never materialised,” The News International quoted officials as saying.

Earlier in October, government employees, including a large number of teachers, held a protest in front of Parliament House demanding an increase in salary, Dawn reported. The protesters called for the elimination of the increasing disparity in pay and privileges of different cadres.

The protest was held under the banner of the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) and the Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA), as per the Dawn report. The protesters gathered at the Q Block of the Pakistan Secretariat and later carried out a rally towards Parliament House. Carrying banners and placards, protesters shouted slogans in support of their demands. (ANI)