KARACHI: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has proposed an ad-hoc increase of 10 percent in salaries of government’s employees in the Federal Budget 2017-18.

Unveiling the federal budget in the National Assembly here on Friday, Finance Minister Dar proposed that the minimum monthly wage was increased from the existing Rs13,000 to Rs15,000.

He said that Rs121 billions were allocated under Benazir Income Support Program. He said that 55,000 families had no source of income and that each income-less family would get Rs19,000.

The finance minister said that army jawans and officers would get a special 10 percent “Zarb-e-Azb” allowance in the budget in addition to their 20 percent pay raise.

He, however, said that an advance tax will be imposed on a monthly salary of Rs85,000 or above.

Dar further said that Rs1.0 billion was allocated for the welfare of families of troops, who were martyred in the war against terrorism.

In addition to pay raise, he said that 10 percent increase in pension was also proposed in the budget.