THE budget for fiscal year 2016-17 has been announced. We, the old-age pensioners were keenly hopeful that our plight will also be taken care of in the budget but we were appalled to find not even a passing reference to the EOBI pensioners.

In 2013, the finance minister had promised to increase the monthly pension of the EOBI pensioners to Rs10,000 a month. As against this promise, the increase that was made last year was Rs750 a month.

This was most unjustified in view of the sky-high increase in the cost of living. We, the old-age pensioners, can hardly meet the day-to-day medical expenses, let alone the other necessities of life.

The EOBI pensioners are paid out of the monthly contribution of the employees and the employer of the organization they served and this is no burden on the taxpayers as such.

Our parliamentarians have through the unanimous passage of a bill increased their perks and privileges manifold. But they had no word of sympathy for the pensioners. This is the height of their ignoble disregard for the poor.

We request the finance minister to look into the plight of the EOBI pensioners and grant them some respectable increase.

Jamil A. Khan

Karachi

(2)

The injustice meted out to EOBI pensioners in the recently announced budget is painful. The finance minister should have given a substantial increase as has been given to other pensioners.

The apathy towards EOBI pensioners by doling out Rs5250 a month is like adding insult to injury.

Let’s hope better sense prevails on the rulers to address the suffering of retired workers.

Inayat Ullah

Muzaffargarh

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2016