Increase font size Decrease font size Reset font size

FO pensioners

2017-05-12
I AM a disabled pensioner aged over 86 years old who retired from the ministry of foreign af fairs on March15, 1991 (PPO No.IBD/PN-1/5584/PR), and have been facinggreathnancialhardships.

Like me, other pensioners, over 85years old, are a weak, ailing and diminshing community. A formidable increasein the prices ofedibles and other items of daily use have made their life more miserable.

Government employees who retired 32 years ago are the worst sufferers as far as theirpension benents are concerned as their pay scales then were very low.

The Lahore High Court judgement stipulated that the restoration of the pension meant that it would be double the amount of 50pc the respondents were already drawing.

The judgement was upheld by the apex court, thus two foreign ministry of ficials have been paid full pension arrears by the AGPR.

However, the same principle has been denied in my case. The inpunged action by the finance division and the AGPR is highly discriminatory though Article 25 guarantees equal treatment to all pensioners.

The prime minister and the finance minister should consider the plight of pensioners over 85 years old and grant at least 40pc increase in their pension.

Aijaz Ahmad Azad Islamabad