Teachers were once again on protest across Punjab — this time against the incumbent government’s irrational policies to calculate their pensions. Responding to a strike call from associations of teachers and clerks from all parts of Punjab, schools and educational offices in the province were locked down yesterday. It goes without saying that teachers out of educational premises for demonstration bodes horribly ill for any society.
The flurry of notifications issued both by provincial and federal finance ministries have dealt a serious blow to both the first take-home (the lump-sum payments after commutation received upon retirement) and monthly pension. The most devastating decision is that all future pensions will be assessed on the basis of the retiring employee’s salary during their last 24 months of service.
The Rule 17-A of the Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 1974 was omitted by the Government of Punjab on July 26, 2024. This rule allowed the widow, wife or a child of a civil servant to be appointed to a government job if the civil servant died in service or was incapacitated. It’s the worst display of the state apathy towards its deserving citizens.
“The in-service/pensioner spouse shall be eligible for pension of his/her spouse in addition to his/her own pay/pension.” This declaration was made when the Federal Budget 2023-24 was unveiled by then-finance minister Ishaq Dar on the floor of the National Assembly. But the same remains unimplemented.
Moreover, lowering the retirement age to 55 is a bad idea if the goal is to curtail the burgeoning pension payout and slow down its rapid growth. Hasaan Khawar, an international development specialist who has done extensive work on Pakistan’s pension crisis, says lowering the retirement age “doesn’t make sense”. It would make the government pay pension for an additional five years. Besides, it will significantly raise upfront pension payouts in the form of commutation, he insists.
If at all, these changes should be reserved for future government employees. But here and now, it will cause insecurity not only among the current employees but also in the generations to come.
M Nadeem Nadir
Kasur City
