KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed Local Government and Finance departments to carry out an extensive exercise to resolve the issue of timely payment of salaries and pensions to all the local bodies’ employees by removing the ghost employees and pensioners.

“I am ready to enhance the share of local bodies by giving them additional funds in Octroi and Zila Tax and other grants but simultaneously the local bodies have to generate their own revenues.” He issued these directives while presiding over a meeting here. He said under the Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) he wanted to protect salaries and pensions. “The employees will not perform if they are not paid on time,” he said.

Local Government Minister Nasir Shah told the local councils to have their mechanism to pass their budgets.

“When the budgets are passed means funds for salaries, pension, and development works are allocated but even then issues of salaries and pensions crop up,” he said.