LAHORE: Parliamentary Leader of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the Punjab Assembly Syed Hassan Murtaza has demanded of 50 percent increase in the salary of civil servants as well as Rs 30,000 as minimum wage in the province.

He held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon at the Lahore Press Club along with Syed Ali Haider Gilani, Makhdoom Usman Mahmood and Shazia Abid Advocate. He said the PPP Punjab will table budget proposals in the Punjab Assembly in its individual capacity and the PPP would bring forward public issues during the budget debate. Inflation, unemployment, and lawlessness are on the rise and uncertainty has engulfed the country and the prices of electricity and gas have become unbearable for the general public, he stressed. He criticized the Punjab government for not convening pre-budget session of the assembly on the excuse of COVID-19.

He also pointed out that the federal government has changed the name of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) as Ehsas Programme and terming it as its successful venture. The civil hospitals are denying treatment on Sehat Insaf Card and there is also a shortage of cardiac centres in the province, he added. On the issue of water availability in Sindh, he said, responsibility should be fixed against the responsible that emptied Mangla in the month of September.

Speaking on the occasion, Syed Haider Gilani said the South Punjab has failed to get the status of province till date. He said the PPP has been supporting the demand of a separate province of South Punjab. The government should invite all the political parties to set up a committee on the issue, he asserted.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021