Problems facing PIA retirees

Letter March 21, 2014
PIA retirees should be given their legal rights on a priority basis, including a handsome increase in their pensions.

KARACHI: The outstanding issues of PIA’s retired employees, with special emphasis on a substantial increase in pensions, payment of group insurance amount on maturity and restoration of the 50 per cent commuted amount of pensions to those who have completed 10 years of their retirement, are major issues of the retired employees of the national carrier that are yet to be resolved on a priority basis. Needless to mention, if PIA increases pensions substantially, it would not affect its revenues as that increase will come from the readily available Pension Trust Fund.

PIA’s last increase in pensions was effective from April 1, 2013. That was an insufficient increase considering the meagre amounts of the pensions, which are not enough to even pay a single utility bill of a family. Earlier, increase in pensions of PIA retirees/widows was granted only once during the past 10 years. Further, the discrimination that retirees have faced and the way their lawful rights have been denied to them by the airline’s management must change. PIA retirees should be given their legal rights on a priority basis, including a handsome increase in their pensions without further waste of time.

Mohammad Khan Sial

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2014.

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