Home Latest News P.M. Sharif Raises Minimum Wage, Pensions in Inaugural Address

P.M. Sharif Raises Minimum Wage, Pensions in Inaugural Address

by Staff Report

Photo courtesy PID

In wide-ranging speech, newly-elected prime minister warns economy is in a ‘bad situation’ and everyone must work together to fix it

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday delivered his inaugural address to the National Assembly, announcing increases to the federal minimum wage and the pensions of retired government and military officials, as well as the provision of subsidized wheat at Utility Stores during Ramzan.

Sharif was elected the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan after securing 174 votes in the 371-member Lower House of Parliament. His opposing candidate, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi, polled zero votes after his party decided to boycott the proceedings and announced it was resigning from Parliament. However, while the PTI has announced an intent to resign, sources within the National Assembly Secretariat say no resignations have thus far been received by the speaker’s office.

Noting that the PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s ouster was the first time in the country’s history that a prime minister had been removed through a successful vote of no-confidence, he said it was an “historic” day whose positive effects were already visible in the country’s economic indicators. Highlighting that the Pakistani rupee had gained against the U.S. dollar since Khan’s ouster—going from Rs. 190/dollar to approximately Rs. 182—he recalled Khan’s previous claims of linking currency devaluation to corruption.

“Imran Khan was the person who used to say that when the rupee slides against the U.S. dollar, then the prime minister of the country is a corrupt person,” he said. “Now he should see that the rupee has recovered around Rs. 8,” he added.

Diplomatic cable

Seemingly wanting to nullify the PTI’s narrative of Khan having been ousted through a “foreign conspiracy”—with the former ruling party claiming this was “proven” by a diplomatic cable authored by Pakistan’s former ambassador to the U.S.—the newly elected prime minister said the former opposition had been planning its no-trust motion long before the “concocted threat letter” reached Khan.

“They [PTI] say that this letter came to them on March 7, but our decisions were made way before that,” he said. “If [previous government’s claims] are a lie, then the matter should be disclosed transparently before the public,” he said, adding that the parliamentary committee on national security—in the presence of senior civil and military officials—would receive an in-camera briefing on the “threat letter” to ascertain the veracity of the PTI’s claims.

“If there’s an iota of evidence that we were backed by foreign conspirators … then with you Mr. Speaker and God as my witness, I will not think for another second and resign from the office of the prime minister,” Sharif said. “No one here was a traitor and no one here is a traitor now,” he said, emphasizing the need to move forward through dialogue and not end up in deadlock.

Economic concerns

On the prevailing economic situation, Sharif said that if Pakistan wished to progress as nation, it needed to become financially self-sufficient. He stressed that hard work, and not mere statements, were required to move the country forward, adding that if statements could work, then Pakistan would have been among the world’s leading nations during the PTI’s tenure. “We need to wash out the effects of the previous government by working together, otherwise, we will fail,” he warned. “Our economy is in a bad situation right now,” he added.

The new prime minister said his government would take steps to make Pakistan an “investment heaven,” as their capital was needed for the country to progress. He also sought to allay concerns of the federal government dedicating its resources to Punjab and ignoring the country’s remaining provinces.

“Punjab is the elder brother [in terms of population], but if the other provinces are not developed alongside it, then we are not developing Pakistan, but rather just one province,” he said. “[I] vow to make sure that Pakistan will develop and not just Punjab,” he added.

As part of immediate relief measures for the general public in the face of rampant inflation, Sharif announced that he was raising the minimum wage of government employees to Rs. 25,000/month, with the change to be retroactively applicable from April 1. He also announced a 10% increase in salaries of people earning less than Rs. 100,000/month, with effect from April 1. Noting the concerns of pensioners, who lived on a fixed income, he said the new government was raising the pensions of all retired civil and military employees by 10% to help them cope with inflation. The government would also provide wheat flour at cheaper rates to the public during the month of Ramzan as part of a package, he added. “We will also address the high prices of electricity” and take measures for the progress of smaller provinces, he said..

The prime minister also said that the new coalition government would reintroduce the Benazir Income Support Card—reverting its name from the PTI’s Ehsaas initiative—and link with the education sector to facilitate people whose children go to school. “Our children should be equipped with great knowledge,” he said, adding that he would soon reintroduce a free laptop scheme to help impoverished get access to technology that would help them prosper.

Foreign policy

On issues of foreign policy, Sharif regretted that Pakistan’s ties with its most ardent allies had deteriorated during the PTI’s tenure. Listing all the countries that his government would seek to bolster ties with, he said China had been Pakistan’s partner through thick and thin. “No one can snatch Pakistan and China’s friendship from us,” he said, describing it as a “long-lasting relation.” Referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said it would be fast-tracked and projects under it expedited.

On Pakistan’s relations with the U.K., the prime minister said that bilateral relations needed to improve, as millions of Pakistanis live there and support their families back home. He also credited U.K. for helping fund education projects across Pakistan.

On the U.S, Sharif said relations between Islamabad and Washington should proceed on the basis of equality. Similarly, he said good ties were necessary with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the European Union—especially for the GSP-Plus status—the U.A.E., Britain and Iran. “We need to raise our voice for Afghanistan,” he said, noting the looming humanitarian crisis in the war-torn state.

On India, the newly-elected prime minister lamented that despite Islamabad wanting peaceful ties with India, it was unlikely until the issue of Kashmir issue had been resolved in accordance with relevant UNSC resolution. Urging Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to understand the issues of the people on both sides of the Line of Control—such as poverty, unemployment, medical issues—he said we should not harm ourselves and our future generations by rubbishing peace. However, he stressed, Pakistan would continue to raise its voice for the people of Kashmir.

Sharif also thanked all the members of the united opposition that supported his bid for premiership, as well as his brother and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for his support. He lauded social media activists, press clubs, media houses, and lawyers for backing the struggle for democracy.

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