Protest: 260 retired railway pensioners demand money

Pensioners carry banners and placards against railway authorities and chant anti-government slogans.

SIALKOT: On Wednesday, over 260 Sialkot-based retired pensioners of Pakistan Railways (PR) took out a peaceful protest rally on Railway Road Sialkot, against the non-payment of their pensions for four consecutive months.

The pensioners were carrying banners and placards against the railway authorities and chanted anti-government slogans.

They pensioners also blocked the main city roads and protested for several hours demanding their pensions within a week.

The protesters staged a sit-in in front of the Sialkot Junction Railway Station and demanded the immediate release of their pensions.

The protesters also announced the intention to go on a hunger strike if their pensions were not released by the federal government as soon as possible.

“We have been living hand-to-mouth for the past few months and the authorities need to pay us what we are owed,” said protester Saleem.  When contacted, senior officials of the Sialkot PR said

that the railways had no funds for issuing the pensions.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th, 2011.