Pakistan’s Pay and Pension Commission is expected to propose a significant increase in the pay of government employees working in the fields of education, security (police), and healthcare. Also recommended will be an increase in the pension of retired employees to help them keep up with the inflation rate and currency devaluation etc.

In a report that is expected to be filed soon, the commission is likely to ask for at least a 100 percent raise in the salaries of government employees working in education, healthcare, and police services. The government (both federal and provincial) will consider the recommendations in the background of available resources. Currently, the commission is considering BPS-17 and above employees for the proposed pay increase but employees of lower grades will also be considered for such recommendation in the near future.

To the government employees, this makes good news but to the millions of poor people – laborers, farmers, disabled, and beggars – this has either no meaning or the negative meaning of being less Pakistani than those who work for the government.