The Lahore High Court on Monday summoned Punjab Finance Secretary Tariq Bajwah for defying court’s verdict pertaining to payment of accumulative pension to retired employees of various departments of the Punjab government.

The judge also issued show cause notice to him for explanation for not implementing the court orders.Ahmad Goraya, Abdul Rauf and other 19 retired employees had filed contempt petition through Advocate Afzal Shahin Pirzada, submitting that the court had ordered the accountant general Punjab and the finance department to pay accumulated pension to the petitioners and declared that, after 15 years, the amount of the pension would be automatically doubled.

He pointed out that the respondent departments had challenged the high court verdict before the Supreme Court, and that the apex court had dismissed their petitions admitting the right of double pension to the retired employees.

Despite the LHC order and dismissal of petitions by the apex court, the respondents were not paying the amounts of commuted pension to the petitioners and using delaying tactics, the counsel added. He requested the court to initiate contempt proceedings against officials of respondent departments and order them to pay commuted pension to the petitioners. Following the court notice, an official representing the Accountant General Punjab informed the court that they had recommended to pay the amount of accumulated pension in view of the verdict, and the relevant file was now waiting for final decision by the finance secretary.