The federal government has announced that the salary of government employees will be paid ahead of schedule as Eid approaches later this month.

“I have directed the finance secretary and discussion with the prime minister, who is in Baku, so on this Friday, June 23, we release the payments instead on month end or first date,” said Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on the floor of National Assembly on Thursday.

Dar said that multiple divisions within the government had requested and suggested that salaries would be paid before Eid.

He added that arrangements were being made despite the fact that the Eid date had not been officially set yet, but it was expected to be around June 29.

The government raised the salaries of its employees in the recent budget. Employees up to grade 16 were given a 35% increase, while employees from grades 17-22 were given a 30% raise. The increases were made via an ad-hoc allowance.

The next salaries that the government employees receive will include the latest increase.

Earlier this month, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar presented Rs14.46 trillion ($50.45 billion) worth of budget in the National Assembly. The government will target a budget deficit of 6.54% (Rs7.57 trillion) of economic output in the fiscal year starting on July 1, he said, slightly below the current year’s revised estimate of 7%.