PESHAWAR: The Local Government Grand Alliance has threatened a complete boycott. The boycott would cover sanitation and municipal services across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The alliance says the issue of delayed salaries and pensions of local government employees remains unresolved. Indeed, this is despite the change in government.
Employees of Tehsil Municipal Administrations (TMAs) have not received their October salaries and pensions. Specifically, the reason is that the Finance Department has yet to release the funds required by the local bodies. The employees said October was nearing its end. However, thousands of serving and retired municipal workers were still waiting for their payments.
TMA octroi shares and other outstanding funds have also been delayed by the Finance Department. As a result, employees are left without their monthly income. The imposition of governor’s rule and emergency in the province has failed to improve the situation. In addition, municipal employees continue to face financial hardship. This is because of repeated delays in the release of funds.
Months of hardship for workers and pensioners
The employees said thousands of municipal workers, sanitation staff and retired personnel had been deprived of their pay. They said this affected staff across the province. In fact, the workers had gone without monthly salaries and pensions for several months. Sanitation workers are the lowest-paid tier of the municipal workforce. They are among the worst affected. Moreover, their families are borrowing to cover daily expenses.
Consequently, the threat of a boycott is serious. Municipal services include garbage collection, street cleaning and basic sanitation. These cover cities and towns across the province. In fact, a province-wide stoppage would hit urban centres hardest, including Peshawar, where civic services are already stretched.
A province under emergency administration
The salary crisis is unfolding against a difficult political backdrop. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is currently under governor’s rule and emergency. However, the administrative change has not translated into smoother fund releases for local bodies. Employees say the repeated delays point to a deeper breakdown. The breakdown is in the financial pipeline between the provincial Finance Department and the TMAs. Meanwhile, this comes even as short-term inflation bites household budgets across the country.
The province has faced one administrative strain after another this month. Feature Pakistan has reported on several strains. These include the province-wide drive to identify unsafe school buildings. In addition, they also include a survey showing Peshawar families sliding into debt under inflation. There is also the political turbulence around the PTI’s long march and its route into the province. In addition, the municipal salary crisis adds a labour dimension to an already tense provincial picture.
What happens next
The Local Government Grand Alliance has not announced a date for the boycott. As a result, this leaves room for the Finance Department to release the pending funds. However, the employees’ statement made clear that patience is running out. October’s pay is still unpaid, and arrears from earlier months are unresolved.
If the deadlock continues, Peshawar and other cities could face uncollected garbage. Municipal services could also be suspended. This would be a public health risk on top of the workers’ own financial distress. The provincial government has yet to respond publicly to the boycott threat.
Frequently asked questions
Who is threatening the boycott?
The Local Government Grand Alliance is threatening the boycott. Specifically, it represents employees of Tehsil Municipal Administrations across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The threat is a complete boycott of sanitation and municipal services.
Why are salaries delayed?
TMA employees say the provincial Finance Department has not released the funds required by local bodies. As a result, this has delayed October salaries and pensions. It has also delayed octroi shares and other outstanding funds.
How long have workers gone unpaid?
Thousands of municipal employees, sanitation workers and retired personnel have gone unpaid. They say they have been deprived of monthly salaries and pensions for several months.
