I wonder why govt can’t manage to discharge its obligation to clear the dues of the retired senior citizens of Punjab
ISLAMABAD: The current business-friendly PML-N government seems to have embraced illusionary notion that constructing motorways, flyovers and underpasses is the only way to keep a grip over the people than focusing on providing good governance in a democratic way. Its leaders are audacious in defying Supreme Court judgments while always reiterating that they respect the judiciary. It has recently come to the fore that the Punjab government has failed to implement a Supreme Court ruling with regard to payment of restored pensions to its old employees while other provinces have complied with the ruling. These retired government servants have been denied their right — as if pension was not a right but a privilege to be granted by the government.
Not only this, in most cases, pension is the only source of income for retired government employees. Many employees served the government on relatively low salaries during their careers so they could benefit later in the form of pensions and medical care, just to find that the government is reluctant to live up to its word on both counts. I wonder why the government can’t manage to discharge its obligation to clear the dues of the retired senior citizens of Punjab. Will the Punjab chief minister, who responds to every incident that has even a remote possibility of grabbing attention of the media, please pay attention to resolve this long-pending issue?
Raja Shafaatullah
Published in The Express Tribune, May 12th, 2015.
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