Karachi (HRNW) Assistant Sessions Judge Karachi West in a letter addressing secretary finance on Friday said that the government’s decision to deduct salaries of government employees on account of the flood relief fund is illegal.
The judge noted that salary deduction without the consent of the employees is an unconstitutional move.
He asked the finance secretary to stop further deductions and make sure that the already deducted amounts are returned. If the deductions from salaries are not reimbursed, the government employees may seek relief from the Sindh High Court (SHC), he said.
However, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon on Friday said the salary cut was ‘optional’ for government employees of Grade 1 to 16.
He expressed these views while talking to the media during a visit to flood relief camps in Hyderabad.
The minister confirmed said a net salary cut of 5 days has been made mandatory for officers of grades 17 to 22.
“While Sindh chief minister, advisers, ministers, and MPAs will forego one-month pay as a donation to the Sindh Flood Relief Fund,” he added.
On August 24, the Sindh government notified deduction at source in the salaries of Sindh lawmakers and public servants for flood relief.
The Sindh Finance Department had written a letter to the Accountant General of Pakistan asking the AGP office to submit two days’ net salary of government employees of grade 1 to grade 16 for August and submit it in the ‘Sindh Flood Relief Fund’.
Grade 17 to grade 22 employees had to bear a 5-day net salary cut for the same period, whereas that above grade 22 will be deprived of one month’s salary.