Pensioners await increase in allowances

KARACHI: Pensioners have yet to be notified of the government’s decision on an increase in their allowances.

The finance ministry has sent a summary to the Sindh chief minister, proposing a 20 per cent increase in medical allowances and a 15 to 20 per cent increase in the pensions of retired government employees, said sources. The summary is awaiting the approval of the provincial government.

Meanwhile, former employees criticised the government for not increasing their pensions despite the increasing rate of inflation in the country.

Retired employees demand raise in pensions

Representatives of the All Sindh Retired Government Servants Welfare Forum protested against the unchanged pensions of around 125,000 retired government employees.

Forty per cent of these pensioners are widows, said Professor Rasheed Tabassum, the head of the forum, who added that the government has shown no concern for the pensioners who have no sources of income apart from their retirement funds. Tabassum appealed to the chief justice to take suo moto notice of the issue.

“I was expecting an increase in the pension,” said one widow who is dependent on her deceased husband’s allowance. She said that she had to borrow money from her relatives and neighbours, despite earning an income through tuitions, to feed her children and pay for other amenities.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2010.