Zardari suggests a minimum wage of Rs. 35,000 for workers.

Former president and PPP co-chair Asif Ali Zardari, whose party is a significant member of the ruling coalition, urged to the government on Tuesday that the government raise the monthly minimum pay of labourers at Rs35000 to bring assistance to them as the country struggles with spiralling inflation.

In order to help employees cope with the rising cost of living, the former president encouraged the PML-N government to formally decide to raise the minimum salary from Rs25000 to Rs35000.

He continued that the government should act to address the issues and challenges faced by the labourers and provide solutions.

According to the PPP leader, it is a government’s job and duty to offer relief to the populace.

The short-term inflation measured by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) reached 30.6% on a year-on-year basis in the week ending on January 5.

During the week under review, the prices of 23 items increased including firewood, salt powder, plain bread, onions, garlic, mutton, beef, chicken, flour, moong lentil, mash lentil, split chickpeas, irri-6 rice, yoghurt and fresh milk.

On a weekly basis, the cost of chicken meat increased by 16.09%, basmati rice by 5.16%, wheat by 4.87%, bananas by 2.97%, and onions by 2.65%.

The results for the week under consideration show that the annual inflation rate for the group with incomes up to Rs17,732 per month was 29.60%.

The group earning between Rs 17,733 and Rs 22,888 per month has an inflation rate of 30.06%.

Inflation for the group earning between Rs 22,889 and Rs 29,517 per month was 31.88%.

The monthly inflation rate for people making between Rs 29,518 and Rs 44,175 was 32.92%.

For those who earn more than Rs. 44,176 per month, the inflation rate was 30.59%.