Contempt of court: Forest secy summoned in delayed pension case

It seems the govt is trying to force the pensioner to commit suicide, says LHC.

LAHORE: The Lahore registry of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday expressed dismay over the non-provision of pension to an 85-year-old retired employee of the Forest Department.

The court also summoned the Forest secretary to explain why the payment of pension had been delayed.

Amanullah said that he had retired from the department 20 years ago.

He had filed a contempt of court petition complaining that his pension had not been released despite court orders.

He said he had retired in 1994 but the department had withheld his pension because of various inquiries that had been initiated against him during his service.

He said earlier a court had directed the Forest Department to release his pension immediately but that order was yet to be complied with. Heading a three-judge bench at the Lahore registry, Justice Jawad S Khwaja observed that the court had ruled in the Abdullah Memon case that government employees must start getting their pension within 15 days after retirement.

Lamenting the government’s poor performance, Justice Jawad S Khwaja said that it appeared that the government was trying to force the pensioner to commit suicide by jumping off the Accountant General’s building.

The bench also directed the Forest secretary to appear in person on June 13 and bring records of the petitioner’s case with him.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2014.