KABUL (PAN): The lower house of the parliament amended the rule of government civil staff salaries with a slight increase in wages of the lowest ranks.

The parliament session on Monday voted for raising salary of the lowest-rank civil staff from 4,300 Afghanis to 5,000 Afs.

Most of the MPs were stressing for 7,000 as the lowest wage, but the finance minister Anwar-ul-Haq Ahady had already said the government budget could not suffice that much pay raise.

School teachers have been given a special consideration in this rule. The starting salary for a teacher will be 6,200 Afs and yet to rise up to 8,000 Afs in four years while the highest wage for a teacher will be 22,000 Afs.

The pay rise will start gradually and will be completed in four years, according to the finance ministry officials. But the MPs said the full pay rise should start immediately.

A delegation from the parliament will meet the finance ministry officials to settle the difference. Thus, the rule of salary increase will be finalized in details after then.

By/ajr