Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar Monday directed finance department of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to increase 15 percent salaries of employees and pay them May salary in advance ahead of Eidul Fitr.

Presiding over a meeting here, Akhtar directed that salaries of all Karachi Metropolitan Corporation employees including doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, fire fighters and municipal workers should be released before Eidul Fitr. Deputy Mayor Arshad Hussain, Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Syed Saif ur Rehman, Senior Director Coordination Masood Alam, Senior Director Medical Services Dr Salma Kausar, Senior Director HR Jameel Farooqui and other officials were also present on the occasion.

It was decided in the meeting that all heads of departments would submit May salaries bill by Tuesday so that advance salaries could be released along with 15 percent increment announced by the Sindh government in budget 2019-20. It may be noted here that KMC employees had been protesting as they were denied increment in salaries. According to KMC spokesperson, the employees expressed gratitude to Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar and said now they would observe Eid along with their families in better manner.

The Mayor had raised this issue with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah during a meeting and asked him to resolve issue pertaining to increase in KMC employees salaries. The CM had directed Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah to forward summary which he told to approve forthwith.

Akhtar had also written many letters to Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and apprise him of issue and asked to increase grant for KMC so that the employees' salaries could be increased by 15 percent as announced by the Sindh government in budget 2019-20.

Besides, the Mayor had also approached the federal government and asked it to pay due amount for clearing dues of retired employees. After the Mayor's efforts, Sindh government issued Rs100 million grant for KMC and soon after receiving the grant, the Mayor ordered increase in salaries. He also passed the directives to issue May salary in advance so that the people could observe Eid in a better manner.