Pak trade associations challenge Sindh govt's 'uneven wage hike'

Several trade associations on Saturday challenged the Sindh government's minimum wage 'hike' while calling it a violation of due process in the country.

A statement from the trade union informed that the notification was issued without consulting stakeholders and fixing the minimum wage of Rs 25,000 by the provincial government. This hike in wage is contrary to the earlier hikes done by the Sindh Minimum Wages Board in the country, The News International reported.

"Sindh government has created huge division by fixing a minimum wage at Rs 25,000, whereas minimum wage in the Federal areas and Punjab province is Rs 20,000, while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, it is Rs 21,000," the trade bodies informed.

The government has increased the minimum wage from Rs 17,500 to Rs 25,000 per month.

The statement was jointly issued by several trade bodies including the Federation of Pakistan Chambers Of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), Karachi Chamber Of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association, SITE Association of Trade & Industry.

The trade organisations also said that this uneven hike of wages in the province would result in industries shifting from Sindh to other areas of the country, which may result in mass job losses.

Earlier, thousands of electricity workers of Pakistan also held a rally in Lahore's Bakhtiar Labour Hall to demand raise in wages and pensions of workers employed in government, semi-government, industrial and commercial sector, banks and media by 30 per cent.

The protesters argued that the work was increasing day by day and there were no hirings as there is a ban on recruitment for more than five years. They called on PM Imran Khan to intervene to halt the proposed privatisation of the profitable electricity distribution companies on the behest of the International Monetary Fund.

( With inputs from ANI )

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