MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The Inland Revenue Welfare Association Non-Gazetted of Azad Kashmir has initiated a symbolic protest movement, demanding the implementation of promised allowances.
According to the details, the employees have given the government a deadline of July 27 to meet their demands, failing which they will intensify their protest.
The announcement was made after the meeting was held today under the chairmanship of the Central President of the Welfare Association in Muzaffarabad.
The statement issued after the meeting further stated that if the demands are not accepted by the deadline, the employees of the Inland Revenue will wear black armbands and stage a three-hour strike without writing, which will remain till August 3.
Furthermore, the statement added that if demands are not accepted, the offices may be closed indefinitely till August 11.
After that, the scope of the protest will be expanded, with a complete boycott of government revenue collection at toll plazas across the state for an indefinite period of time.
The association’s central president and other office bearers have made it clear that the protest will continue until their demands are met, and the responsibility for any consequences will lie with the government.
They have appealed to the Prime Minister Azad Kashmir, the Chief Secretary, and concerned authorities to take immediate notice and ensure implementation of the promised allowances.
Demands of AJK Inland Revenue Department employees
In a statement issued on Monday, the association sought the implementation of a special allowance according to the basic salary of the Performance Allowance 2022, as promised by the government.
The welfare association alleged that “the employees of all departments of Azad Kashmir are getting special allowance, executive allowance, secretariat allowance, etc. as per the basic salary of June 2022. While the performance allowance given to the employees of the Inland Revenue Department is equal to the basic salary of June 2015.”
The statement further added that the employees of the Inland Revenue Department have also been deprived of disparity allowance based on performance allowance, which, they believe, is a complete injustice to the employees.
On the issue of performance allowance, the Employees and Welfare Association of the Inland Revenue Department has requested the higher authorities that “either the performance allowance received by the employees should be given equal to the basic salary of June 2022 or the performance allowance should be abolished and a special allowance equal to the basic salary of June 2022 should be given on the pattern of other departments.”
The statement further added that the Prime Minister and the Minister in-charge of the Inland Revenue Department and the Senior Minister have repeatedly that if the departmental target revenue for the current year (2025) is achieved, not only the performance allowance will be de-frozen according to the basic salary of June 2022, but also the establishment of a 1% Welfare Fund will be implemented.
“Keeping in mind the departmental policy, despite the adverse circumstances, the employees of the Inland Revenue Department have worked day and night to make it possible to collect the departmental target revenues,” it read.
