LOWER DIR: The Young Teachers Association`s provincial president Ataur Rehman has demanded that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government introduce a market-based salary system for its employees if it plans to abolish the pension scheme.

Talking to mediapersons here, he said if either the federal or provincial government intends to end pensions, then it must compensate by shifting from the outdated basic pay scale (BPS) system to a marketbased salary (MBS) structure. He said this transition is not only fair but also a legal right of government employees in the absence of a pension.

He said: `The government often compares our system with foreign countries where pensions don`t exist, but it conveniently ignores the fact that those countries offer market-based salaries and also provide oldage benefits to all senior citizens.

Criticising the current dual policy, the YTA leader said while the government pays salaries according to the BPS it seeks to implement the Contributory Pension Fund (CP Fund) in place of the traditional pension system. `Such a double standard is unacceptable,` he said.

`The government must choose one system: either continue with the BPS along with pensions or implement the CP Fund alongside market-based salaries.

ROAD PROJECT: Construction work on a longdelayed road project in Shalkandai union council has finally commenced after years of public demand.

The project, costing Rs40 million, was formally inaugurated by chairman district development advisory committee MPA Ubaidur Rehman during a ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rehman said the road was included in his development manifesto in response to the people`s longstanding demand. `Today, we have fulfilled our promise,` he added.

In a separate development, the proscribed Tehreeki-Taliban Pakistan accepted the responsibility of attacking an armoured personnel carrier of the police with an improvised explosive device in the Maidan area here the other day.

According to a news piece widely circulated on social media platform, Whatsapp groups, the TTP while terming the attack as Al-Khandaq Operation, claimed that a police APC was attacked through mines blast that partially damaged the vehicle. Correspondent