KARACHI: The Sindh government took advantage of the 18th Amendment and set the minimum wages at Rs25,000, an official said on Thursday.

Addressing members of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati), Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said that the issue of minimum wage of Rs25,000 belonged to the Sindh government as before the budget announcement, the provincial government had agreed with the federal government that the minimum wage would be Rs20,000 in the whole country but it sets the minimum wage at Rs25,000 by taking full benefit of the 18th Amendment.

During a meeting of the Karachi Transformation Committee, the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) leadership had promised to appoint a non-political administrator in the city but to no avail.

He said: “As the governor of the province I will not allow the Sindh government to renege on its promise.”

The Sindh governor said the Employees Old-age Benefit Institution (EOBI) chairman would be appointed in a day or two. The institution will soon be doing a better job, he said.

The governor said he has taken a special grant for Karachi from the prime minister and a committee, representing businessmen and government officials, has been formed for spending the amount on the city.

The Sindh governor said unwise decisions would drive industries out of Karachi. The wages of workers should be the same across the country.

The industries have now started shifting from Karachi to Balochistan due to water availability, cheap labour and land, he added.

Earlier, Muneer said that the budget of the federal government was business-friendly and would yield good results. He said for good performance, the business community must be represented in government institutions.

Those who do not want to pay taxes are objecting to budget measures, he said, and proposed the name of Zahid Saeed to be appointed as the EOBI chairman.

Kati president Saleem-uz-Zaman thanked the Korangi Association for giving two fire tenders as a gift.