Old pensioners

This is to bring the attention of the relevant authorities to the plight of old pensioners. Government salaries in 2001 were increased by more than 60 percent. By 2010, these salaries were three to four times the salaries that were paid in the 1990s. There were further increases after 2010 because of which the pension of a government employee, retiring after 2000, is almost three times than that of those who retired earlier. Now, whenever there is an increase in pension, the same percentage is applied to all pensioners. If an old pensioner is getting Rs30,000, his pension increases by Rs3,000 if the increase is 10 percent. On the other hand, the new pensioner who gets the pension of Rs90,000 will enjoy an increase of Rs9,000. I request the prime minister to look into this issue. A solution to this problem is to increase the pension of those who retired 20 or more years by a larger percentage. This will help old pensioners to meet their expenses.

Old pensioners are mostly in their 70s and 80s. Their age doesn’t allow them to do any job or start their own business. Because of a sharp increase in the prices of daily items, they have to deal with so many financial difficulties. These days, grownup children are also not interested in sharing the financial burden of their parents. Old pensioners can only request the higher authorities to pay attention to this matter.

Sqn Ldr (r) Tarique Mahmood Malak

Rawalpindi