ISLAMABAD: Armed forces want an increase of 20 percent in salaries of all cadres, after merger of four adhoc allowances into 2017 basic pay, in the upcoming budget.
Ministry of defence has put forward the request to federal secretary finance through a letter dated May 08, 2020.
“Keeping in view of above mentioned factors which have affected the fiscal space and livelihood of Armed Forces Personnel Joint Staff Headquarters has forwarded case to increase in pay duly approved by Chairman JCSC to this Ministry for taking up matter with Ministry of Finance for revision of pay of officers an personnel by merger of adhoc relief allowance (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019) in basic pay 2017. Thereafter, allowing increase in pay @20 percent of revised pay scales in budget Financial Year 2020-2021” reads the letter copy of which is reproduced below.
Defence ministry believes that the measure would have an overall financial impact of Rs. 63.69 billion.
The federal government in 2019-20 budget passed in June last year, had allocated Rs. 1.5 trillion for defence, which was 14 percent of total budget outlay.
The official communication between Ministry of Defence and Finance Division revealed that high officials of Joint Staff Headquarters and Services HQ discussed revision of salaries of armed forces personnel, before sending the request.
The meeting was informed that the government employees including armed forced personnel are being affected due to ever increasing inflation owing to devaluation of rupee, impact on Consumer Price Index (CPI) and increase in utility bills etc.
The ministry of defence said only five percent increase was granted to officers up to the ranked Brigadier (Paying Scale 17-20) and 10 percent adhoc relief was awarded to Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and soldiers (Paying Scale 1-16), however no increase was given to General Officers (Paying Scale 21-22) in the budget of ongoing fiscal year 2019-20.
Ministry believes that the adhoc relief granted in salaries of officers has also been marginalized when income tax slabs were enhanced. This resulted into payment of additional income tax from the amount of current salaries, consequently the salaries of armed forces personnel have already been decreased.
After thorough consultations, Joint Staff Headquarters forwarded the case to ministry of defence to put it before the federal ministry of finance for increase in salaries of armed forces personnel duly approved by the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC).
Ministry of Defense requested the finance division to revise the salaries of officers and personnel merging of adhoc relief allowances (for years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019) in basic pay 2017.
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