As Eid ul Fitr approaches, the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has resolved to disburse the current month’s wages for public sector employees. This decision arrives amidst a backdrop of record-breaking inflation, causing many Pakistanis to abandon even basic foodstuffs. Compounding this issue, the nation grapples to obtain external financing while facing the ever-present risk of default.
The announcement materialized after extensive discussions between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed the development, adding that the government will also release monthly pensions ahead of the festive occasion. In response, Dar instructed Finance Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh to make the necessary arrangements.
In a similar vein, the Sindh Government had previously declared the early release of salaries for Muslim government employees prior to Eid ul Fitr. According to a finance department notification, “all Muslim employees/pensioners of the Provincial Government of Sindh (including work-charged and contingent paid establishment) shall receive full pay and allowances/full pension for the month of April in advance.”
The notification further stated that salaries and pensions would be released on April 17, rather than May 2, anticipating that Eid would likely fall on either April 21 or April 22.
