The retired

Fleeting moments

Iftekhar A Khan

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan has recommended appointing two retired justices as ad-hoc judges of the Supreme Court. The former justices had retired a few years ago. The legal fraternity is quite critical of the JC’s decision and considers it to be against the norms of an independent judiciary. Why don’t the retired government officials want to quit for good?

The judges of the superior courts are not the only ones who want to be reappointed after retirement – bureaucrats, generals, and ambassadors also want the same thing. Those who retire from high positions rarely have financial problems. However, they find it hard to reconcile with the feelings of redundancy that overcome them soon after retirement – the mental transition from being a somebody to becoming a nobody.

Before retirement, they had authority and power. When they talked everyone listened and often chipped in admiringly. With time, the big man thought he was truly big. The ingratiating fawners around reassured him of his wisdom and indispensability for the system.

But what can one do after retirement? There’s nothing to look forward to in the day. The phones stop ringing, there is no chauffer waiting near the staff car in the porch to keep the door ajar for the sahib to plonk himself comfortably in the backseat. Soon the utility bills start pouring in. Sahib hadn’t heard of the bills for years. What a comedown.

On a serious note, the re-employment of retirees at top positions in the bureaucracy, judiciary, and public sector organisations causes resentment among those further down the ladder who aspire for promotions. When retirees occupy the top slots, they block the opportunities of promotion for many below them. Every young officer dreams of making it to the top someday – and rightly so. Why should the retirees block their upward mobility? The retirees should also think before they jockey for reemployment about how they are depriving many of their genuinely-earned right of promotion.

Moreover, the re-employed men remain beholden to those who gave them another stint in service. Thus they’re less likely to act independently and according to the call of their conscience. The JC could have easily recommended the appointment of new judges out of the members of the bar association.

Some government organisations serve as relaxation centres for retired bureaucrats. Various public service commissions of the country are known for this. While they are there, they easily manage to settle their below-average progenies in the civil services, depriving the brighter ones of the less connected. The interview of the CSS carries the maximum marks and therein lies much discretion of the board.

A few months ago, I wrote an article on the subject of retirement. A federal secretary who had just retired and didn’t want to be named wrote to me. He briefly narrated how he spent his last day in office, “I wanted to make this day a special one. My wife prepared some dishes and brought them over to the office. We collected the immediate staff in my office and served them with whatever had been brought from home, over a cup of tea.

“I took the last ride home in the official car and returned it. I was asked if I wanted an extension in service or wanted to keep the official house for some time. I gratefully said ‘thank you’ and my decades-long government service came to an end.”

He also says that unfortunately, “people like us are quite a few but they leave quietly and are never counted.” I reminded him that behind a content man is an admirable woman. He agreed. I have recounted the event, sir – may you live in blissful retirement.

The writer is a freelance columnist based in Lahore. Email: pinecity@gmail.com