Islamabad — Senior Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader and in-charge of the People's Labour Bureau, Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed, has rejected the federal government's proposed 7% increase in pensions and 10% raise in salaries for public sector employees, calling it an anti-labour and anti-people budget.

Reacting to the federal finance minister’s budget speech, Chaudhry Manzoor criticized the government for ignoring the working class and salaried segment. "The budget disregards the aspirations of the labor force and PPP's recommendations," he said, expressing surprise that there was no increase in EOBI pensions or the minimum wage.

He strongly opposed the proposal to limit family pensions to 10 years after a pensioner's death, calling it “absurd and cruel.” “Will elderly widows or family members survive by eating dust after ten years?” he asked.

Chaudhry Manzoor also condemned the continued push for privatizing national institutions like PIA and others, terming it an unwise policy. He demanded an immediate review of the budget and proposed several changes:

• A minimum 50% increase in salaries and pensions.

• All ad-hoc allowances to be merged into the basic salary, as done during the PPP government (2008–2013).

• EOBI pensions, currently only Rs. 10,000 per month, should be doubled.

• House rent and conveyance allowances should be increased according to current market rates.

• The death grant should be increased from Rs. 800,000 to Rs. 1 million, and the marriage grant from Rs. 400,000 to Rs. 500,000.

• All plans for privatization, outsourcing, or closure of key national institutions like Utility Stores, PASSCO, NFC, and Pak PWD should be halted immediately.

• All dismissed employees, including 5,000 Utility Stores workers, should be reinstated.

• All contract and daily wage workers should be regularized, following the PPP's 2008–2013 precedent.

• Industrial workers should be provided with ownership-based housing, as already approved during the PPP tenure.

• All categories of workers and farm laborers should be registered with EOBI and the Workers Welfare Fund, similar to the steps already taken by the Sindh government.

Chaudhry Manzoor concluded that these serious concerns and objections from the working class will be presented to the top leadership of the PPP. He pledged to make efforts to prevent the passage of the Finance Bill in its current form in Parliament.