KARACHI:
The federal government has recently announced a 25 per cent ad hoc relief for government employees, a large number of whom had staged a sit-in inside the federal capital’s Red Zone. The pensioners have, however, been ignored for any raise even though they are as troubled — if not more — by the price hike as the working lot. In the past, every government gave relief to pensioners, alongside those on job, but not this time. This step-motherly attitude of the sitting government with retired employees is beyond comprehension.
Most governments in the world, especially those in the West, pay special attention to the welfare of the elderly class and provide them best social security. On the contrary, retired workers in our country are considered as used cartridge, a spent force. Let me quote here the example of one of my relatives who lived in Britain for 50 years and served a government company there. Even though he shifted to Pakistan after his retirement, the British government continued to send him pension regularly. Some time ago, he received a letter from the British government, saying that since inflation has increased, he is required to submit a claim so that his pension can be increased. He replied that he was doing well and did not need any raise in his pension. The government wrote back and said they were not satisfied with his response.
This is what a true welfare state is — and not the one that Prime Minister Imran Khan dreams of and boasts of. I request the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister to issue urgent orders for provision of 25% ad hoc relief for the pensioners like they did for the serving employees.
Fahad Siddique
Rawalpindi
Published in The Express Tribune, February 25th, 2021.
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