Increasing retirement age criticised

Senior bureaucrats express their concerns over the government’s decision to amend the K-P Services Act 1973

PESHAWAR: Senior federal and provincial bureaucrats of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) have expressed their concerns over the government’s decision to amend the K-P Services Act 1973 and increase the retirement from 60 to 63 years.

The officers contended that this would slow down the promotion process and stop young officers from reaching their dream career targets. Moreover, this will increase the unemployment ratio.

Moreover, they were of the view that this measure would put an additional burden of Rs10 billion a year on the public exchequer and Rs30 billion over the course of the three years the ages have been extended by.

They urged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led the provincial government to revisit their decision.

A source in the K-P finance department told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity, because he was not authorised to speak to the media, that a year ago, the provincial finance department had written to the K-P government urging them to amend the law to raise the retirement age or else they could default on paying monthly salaries.

The source added that the provincial government considered the request but only moved on it now.

This decision, the official explained, will not have any bearing on the 85% who are appointed on merit but only the 15% of departmental employees.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2019.