ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad on Wednesday said the government was continuously engaged in talks with the federal government employees protesting here to resolve their salaries issues.

The government’s parliamentary committee had already held negotiations with All Government Employees Grand Alliance and the committee had agreed to increase pay of 16 grade employees despite that holding protest was beyond perception, he said talking to a private news channel.

The minister said the protestors were now demanding to raise salaries of employees up to 22 scales which were impossible for the government as the country was already confronting financial crunch. 22 grade officials were fully supporting and inciting the employees for the protest and anarchy, he added.

He said the incumbent government was intended to increase salaries of the federal employees up to 16 grade.

He said due to 18th amendment, the federal government was not bound to increase salaries of employees of the provinces.

He said the police personnel had taken actions against violators of law during the protest.