The News tnternational, Karachi, Saturday, June 13, 2006 |

NATIONAL 5


Govt employees

announce protest,

reject 7pc salary
raise amid inflation

By Khalid Inbal

ISLAMABAD:  Federal
government employees
and several trade unions

have announced a strike .

in protest against the 7
percent salary increase
announced in the Federal
Budget 2026-27, describing
the raise as insufficient in
view of the rising cost of
living,

Representatives of var-
lous employee organiza-
tions argued that the sal-
ary adjustment does not
match the sharp increase
in inflation and house-
hold expenses, They said
government employees.
continue to face financial
difficulties due to rising
prices of essential com-
modities and utility costs.

. Speaking to protesters,
trade union leader Rah-
man Bajwa said employ-
ees had expected a much
larger increase in salaries
to offset the Impact of

inflation. He expressed -

disappointment over the

* budget measures, claiming
that the relief announced
by the government falls
short of public expecta-
tions, *

Several. unions,
including those repre-
senting railway work-
ers, WAPDA employees,
municipal committees,
TMAs and district coun-
cils, have strongly criti-

. cized the salary increase

and announced protest
demonstrations, Union
leaders said employees
have exhausted ail other
options and are now
compelled to take to the
streets to press their
demands,

» The protesters accused
the government of failing
to provide meaningful
relief to ordinary citizens
and low-income groups.
They argued that while the
cost of living continues to
rise, workers and salaried
individuals are struggling
to meet daily expenses.
Employee represent-
atives also announced

a “Jail Bharo Tehreek”
(Fill the Jails Movement),
stating that they are pre-

Housewives judge
budget by kitchen

By Myra Ioran

ISLAMABAD: For Pakistani
housewives, the Federal
Budget 2026-27 is less about
fiscal targets and develop-
ment allocations and more
about a simple question:
will it make their lives any
easier at home? Judging by
their reactions, the answer
is largely no,              .

While the government

pared to face arrests if|has projected economic

thelr demands are not
addressed.
The protesters pointed

growth, announced devel-
opment spending and high-
lighted social protection

to Increasing prices of| measures, women manag-

essential food items,
including milk, ghee,
sugar, chicken, beef and
mutton, as well as rising
fuel costs, saying these
factors have placed addi-
Uonal pressure on house:

ing household budgets say
the reality of soaring prices,
utility  bills and stagnant
incomes leaves little room
for optimism, «

. "We hear every year that
the economy is improving,

hold budgets. They also|but our kitchen budget

criticized the closure
of Utility Stores, which
they said had previously,
provided some relief to
Towsincome families,
Federal employees
attempted to march toward
Parliament House, but
security personnel, includ-
ing police and Frontier:
Corps (FC) officials, were
deployed to restrict access
to sensitive areas. Despite
the security arrangements,
protesters continucd their.
demonstrations and staged
asit-in outside Parliament,


Rs838bn allocated for’
BISP in budget

By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: The poverty
alleviation and social safety
measures announced in
the budget for fiscal year
2026-27 focus on expanding
cash transfers and offering
micro-loans and skilled
training for youth. .

The government has allo-_
cated a historic Rs838 bil-
lion for the Benazir Income
Support Programme (BISP)
in the fiscal year 2026-27
federal budget. This marks
a 17 per cent increase in
funding to support millions
of beneficiary households
across Pakistan.

* In his speech,  ‘the Fed-

| Muhammad  Aurangzeb
- said that the government
plans to enhance the BISP
coverage. To Implement
this, he said that the gov.
emment targets to reach
12 million families under
Kifalat program of BISP,
Currently 10.2 million fam-
“ilies are the beneficiaries
of the program,

The Federal Minister
said during the current fis-
cal year, they will identify,
register, and verify all sub-
sidy beneficiaries across
the country so that a
Direct Subsidy Mechanism
can be introduced in Paki-
stan by January 2027, ‘This
Will ensure that subsidies

and cligible beneficiar-
ies. It is the same fair and
transparent model that we
have successfully imple-
mented/adopted through
BISP," he said.

tells 2 different story,” said
Sania Anis, a housewife in
Islamabad, .

- “Whether  the govern-
ment calls the budget peo- ¢:
ple-friendly or not, the real
test is whether families can
afford groceries, electricity
bills and school fees.”

The concems of house-
wives have intensified in
recent weeks as intemma-
tional tensions between
Iran and the United States
triggered uncertainty in
global energy markets. The

£;.    expenses, not fiscal targets

resulting | increase in petro-
leum prices has already
begun affecting transpor-
tation costs and the prices
of everyday commodities in
Jocal markets, they say,
v: “For us, every increase
in fuel prices means veg-
etables become more
expensive, transport
becomes costly and house
hold expenses go up,” said
Hania Saleem, whose hus-
band works in the private
sector. “The budget came
with promises, but the
market  responded  with
higher prices,”

Many women pointed
out that while public-sector
employees received sal-
ary increases, a significant
portion of the population
works in the private sec-
tor, where salaries have
remained stagnant despite
years of inflation... .-«

They said that it has
become impossible to feed
the family members prop-

erly after paying rent, util-
ity bills and schoo! fee of
their children. *My husband
earns around Rs50,000 a

~ month,” said Saceda Malik,

a receptionist,

“After paying rent, elec-
tricity, gas, water charges
and school fees, there is
hardly anything left. Every
month feels like a financial
emergency.”


Aleem directs
implementation of cashless
tolling on highways:

ISLAMABAD; Federal Min-..

ister for Communications,
Abdul Aleem Khan on Fri-
day directed the authorities
concerned to expedite the
implementation of Intelli-

He also made it manda-
tory to deploy Rescue 1122
staff, fire brigades and fully
equipped ambulances at ser-
vice areas along motorways
and national highways.

For the fiscal year 2026-] gent Transportation Systems . The minister directed

27, the Government pro-
posed a 7 per cent increase
in the salaries and pensions
of federal public sector
employees. Additionally, the
administration suggested a
20 per cent increase in the
national minimum wage to
provide relief to low-income
workers facing high living
costs, Another proposal is
to increase transport allow.
ance for Persons with Disa-
bdibty from Rs4,000 to 6,000

eral Finance Minister reach only the intended permonth.


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MINISTRY OF INTERIOR & NARCOTICS CONTROL ,

.NADRA HEADQUARTERS
ISLAMABAD

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C INVITATION OF e-BID :)

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__ KTENDER NO... NADRA-HQ-REB-73/2026 4

1.” National database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Ministry of Interiog Government of
” Pakistan invites electronic bids from eligible bidders as mentioned in bidding documents
and registered Income Tax & Sales Tax and who are Active Tax Payers List (ATL) with 100%

compliance of the FBR for below mentioned items. Details of equipmentis as under, ~

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. The bidding shall have conducted in tine with the Single Stage Two Envelop procedure.
Bidding documents as per reguiations, containing details terms and conditions,
specifications and requirements etc, are available for the registered bidders on EPADS at

. bitesdieprocuregovnk,             .                  .

.. The electronic bids must be submitted by using EPADS on or before 29th June, 2026 at
11:00 a.m. Manual bids will not be accepted for further tendering process, Electronic
bids willbe opened on the same day i.e. 29th June, 2026 at 14:30 a.m. The hard copy of the
bid security (in Original) must be submitted In favor of NADRA HQ on or before 29th June,
2026 at 41:00 a.m., otherwise electronic bid willnotbe accepted,

|. NADRA reserves the right to reject all the bids as per Rule 33 of PPRA 2004.

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QTS) and introduce cashless
electronic toll collection on
major highways and motor-
ways across the country to
enhance efficiency, security
and public convenience. =

Chairing a high-level
review meeting during his
visit to the National High-
ways and Motorway Police
Headquarters, the minister
ordered the immediate inclu-
sion of the M2 Motorway in
the ITS Program, emphasis-
ing that cameras, security
infrastructure and commu-
nication networks should
be completely unified and
integrated under this modem
technological framework,
Said a press release, -

To modemize the infra-
structure and ensure unin-
terrupted and smooth travel
for passengers, the minister
directed the immediate intro-
duction of a cashless and
free-flow electronic toll col-
lection system on all major
routes,

He clearly directed that
this state-of-the-art elec-
tronic tolling network be
directly linked to the secu-
rity framework of Safe City
and highlighted that these
interconnected technolog-
fcal measures would not
only help in improving traffic
management but would also
greatly assist law enforce-
Tent agencies in preventing
crimes, |        woe
Emphasizing public
safety and passenger con-
ventence, Abdul Aleem
Khan instructed the author-
ities to ensure the presence
of Motorway Police person-
nel at all motorway service
areas and provide uniform
facilities to commuters
across the network,


‘ Ministry of National Health Services,
Regulations & Coordination

No.22-2/2025/DD-IV/P&D/CPS
Government of Pakistan

URAAN
PAKISTAN

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39 Floor, Kohsar Block, Pak Secretariat, Islamabad

BS

1. Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination (M/o NHSR&C) invited the
bids against the tende