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Tuesday March 19, 2024

Retired persons demand at least 20% increase in pension

By Our Correspondent
April 24, 2018

Islamabad: The Association for Welfare of Retired Persons (AWRP) has demanded at least 20% increase in pension keeping in view the high rate of inflation causing enormous rise in essential commodities and medicines. The AWRP also demanded de-freezing of medical allowance and all increases be given on medical allowance as are on given on pension from time to time.

A delegation headed by the AWRP President Manzoor Hussain and comprising Chaudhry Munir Ahmad, Agha Amir Ahmad and Ali Ashgar Awan called on the Additional Secretary Regulation (Federal Ministry of Finance) and place before him the proposals.

The demands include de-freezing of medical allowance, increasing rate of family pension from the existing 75% to 100%, linking increases with age slabs and reduction of age of 85 years to 80 years for the grant of 15% additional increase in pension (differential of 2016 rates), increase in pension at least up to 20%, Allowing special additional pension to families, issuance of Pensioners I.D cards to the retirees”.

The AWRP also observed that the grant of 25% increase to those retirees attaining the age of 85 years is not being given by the Punjab Government, this anomaly should be removed. The association’s officials said that all the provinces should follow the same policy framed by the Federal Government, this norm should not be overlooked.

Later on the association representatives also met the Special Secretary Finance who was coordinating with the budgetary matters. He listened carefully and promised to look into these proposals with the view to accommodate these.

It was observed that during the hospitalization of pensioner or family all medicines should be provided if not available in hospital by great purchase as most of the retires do not have enough money to purchase costly medicines and pathology tests, they do not have enough funds to purchase Stents needed in case of cardio vascular diseases etc. and lenses if gone through an eye operation.

The diabetic patients should be given special treatment to control blood sugar and to fight the diseases caused due to diabetes. The old age pensioners should be given facilities and equipment required to overcome physical inabilities.

In another letter to Railway Authorities the AWRP requested to give ticket concessions at the age of retiring age i.e. 60 year instead of 65 year being given to every citizen of the country. A small number of senior citizen can travels because of weak health and old age diseases.