Pensioners demand 30% raise

Islamabad

The Association for Welfare of Retired Persons (AWRP) has demanded of the government to avoid more taxes on the low-income pensioners in the next year’s budget and 30 per cent raise in pensions.

“The presentation of budget every year with more and more taxes and awful conditions or low income group especially the low income pensioners makes them older than their actual age,” the AWRP in a statement said.

The WRP president said it seems like the Government is left with no choice other than enforcing heavy taxes to meet the ever increasing deficit of budget. “On top of this ever increasing inflation causes extra burden on the poor and middle income families,” he said.

“We demand especially the low income pensioners to give 30 per cent increase in the pension as their survival at present pension is becoming close to impossible,” the statement said. 

The statement said that after payment of utility bills, meeting medical expenses and paying the rents even for the smallest housing unit consisting of one or two rooms house with common washroom and kitchen, left with very little amount to pull the days of the month.

The AWRP issued the statement after its executive committee meeting. The AWRP is the sole representative body of the Federal Government Retired Persons, having more than 1500 members. It also brings the grievances all other retires of central and provincial governments to the attention of public and governments.

The AWRP on behalf of retirees demanded enhancement of medical allowance already available to the retirees. He said the prices of medicines and essential commodities have sky rocketed.  The increase in should be at least 30 per cent and at par with the raise given to in service employees in the head of medical allowance.

The AWRP also demanded that for the cases where the pension is Rs15,000 or less, pensioners should be given Rs3,000 as house rent allowance.