Old-age benefits: Finance Dept ordered to pay pension arrears

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the Finance Department on Monday to start paying arrears of pension to all eligible pensioners.

The bench ordered Finance Secretary Yousaf Khan to present an amended plan to pay the arrears.

The court issued the order while dismissing a plan, submitted by the secretary, saying that the department was wiling to pay Rs3.5 billion a year in this regard. He said the arrears of pensioners stood at Rs35 billion.

The judge noted that at this rate it would take 10 years to clear the arrears which was not acceptable. The bench ordered the secretary to come up with an amended plan.

The court then adjourned the hearing until June 11.

Afzal Shahin Pirzada, counsel for the petitioners, said the petitioners were already over 75 years of age. He said the government should not delay releasing the pensions.

The lawyer said the high court and the Supreme Court had already ordered the department to pay the retired employees their full pension.

Pirzada said the Finance Department was coming up with “lame excuses” and not complying with court orders. He said the Punjab Accountant General had also recommended that the department pay the retired workers.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2015.