KP Govt delays salary payment to employees amid financial crisis
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government failed to pay the September salary to its employees, the first and seconda day of October, amid concerns about the province’s financial health.
Finance minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra confirmed the issue but said the government servants would receive remuneration tomorrow (Monday).
The district account offices issued letters to the National Bank of Pakistan regarding the delay in salary payment to the worry of government employees with some blaming it on a brewing financial crisis due to the nonpayment of the province`s dues by the centre.
The letters by the Kohat and Bajaur district controllers of accounts to the NBP`s local branches went viral on social media.
They read, “We have received telephonic information from the accountant general KP that the processing of salary for September 2022, may be withheld becauseof some systemic work/change in SAP system by the Director FABS, controller General of Accounts, Islamabad. In response to this [communication], it was informed that the salary of the said month has already been processed and cheques in this regard have been issued as well on September 25 by this office.”
Through the letters, the district account offices were directed to approach the relevant NBP branches `not to credit or post salary to other banks,where salary accounts of government employees are maintained.
KP Govt delays salary payment to employees amid financial crisis
Finance minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra wrote on his Facebook page that all salaries to the government employees would be paid `on time next week.
“The province is ensuring that it manages the financial crisis created by the non-payment of dues by the federal government,” he said.
When contacted, a senior finance department official claimed that the September salary would be paid to the government employees on Monday.
Meanwhile, Accordint to DAWN that despite financial crisis, payment of salary was likely to happen on Monday or Tuesday.They said the provincial government required Rs42 billion to pay salary and pension every month but currently, its financial situation was very precarious.
Earlier last month, finance minister Jhagra had said the province faced a shortage of Rs275 billion funding due to the non-payment of its net hydel profit dues, merged areas share in funds, and payments for flood losses.
Meanwhile, the leaders of employees of public sector departments of Swabi criticised the PTI government over the issue and said for the first time in the province’s history, the government employees didn`t receive salary on time.
They said the issue was caused by the “incompetence” of the rulers.
Provincial general secretary of the All Government Employees Grand Alliance Abid Hussain told Dawn that employees of public sector organisations had monthly salary as the only source of their income and if its payment was delayed, then they suffered massively.
Provincial president of the Malgary Ustazan Amjad Ali said the government should give up justifying the delay in salary payment and ensure its immediate release to ease the misery of employees.
