NBP employees demand 55 percent raise in basic pay

The executives and officers of National Bank of Pakistan have demanded restructuring of their pay scales and proposed 55 percent increase in basic pays due to continuous increase in commodities price index, which reached 48.59 percent during 2003-2004. The newly formed Sindh NBP Officers Federation's central leader Syed Anwar Hussein Naqvi stated this in his talk with journalists during his short visit to Multan on Tuesday.
He underlined serious concerns among the bank employees for not increasing their pay package. "The employees have been facing many financial problems due to lack of increase in pay schedule despite rapid increase in commodities price index."
While paying tribute to NBP president Syed Ali Raza, he said announcement of six- percent increase in basic pay in November last was not sufficient.
He said the federation's secretary general Gul Faraz Ahmed Khan in consultation with central president Haji Anwar Baloch and other office-bearers had submitted pay package proposals in August last, which were waiting for proper compliance despite promise of implementation within 30 days made by the management.
He said the Sindh federation has been established on December 5th this year. "This federation," he said, "represents Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur regions and the leadership, specially president Haji Anwar Baloch, has been doing a commendable job for the NBP employees."
Naqvi disclosed that the federation demanded for 60 percent increase in house rent allowance and rent ceiling, 20 percent increase in utility allowance; medical allowance ceiling should be 15 percent of the basic pay for executives and 20 percent for officers.
The education allowance should be allocated at Rs 3,000 and education stipend for higher secondary students Rs 1,000, Rs 1,500 for professional education on monthly basis and Rs 2,000 for students on merit list, issued by board/university.
Naqvi said the proposed package has demanded Rs 15,000 for matriculation/intermediate and Rs 20,000 for university examination should be allocated for securing first position.
Naqvi said that no incentive for improving professional qualification could be allocated for officers, who have passed their post-graduation examination and demanded allocation of Rs 10,000 for this category to each. He demanded for revision of pay structure after every two years and proposed the package should be effective from January 2004.