WE, the octogenarian pensioners, number about 100 (61 males and 39 widows). We were employees of the district council, Naushahro Feroze, who submitted our requests regarding being provided our pensions by writing letters to the Sindh government, the federal government, the finance department, local bodies, the accountant-general of Karachi and newspapers.

We succeeded in our struggle and at least 170 pensioners have started drawing their pension for the past five years from the government treasury/district council, Naushahro Feroze. We received our first pension vide finance department letter No. FD (TR) 1 (10) 2006 dated May 21, 2007.

Now only 100 pensioners are left as 70 pensioners passed away during these years. However, our pension has been suddenly stopped by the chief of the district council, Naushahro Feroze, since April 2012 without any reason. We received no notice from the authorities concerned asking us to go and get our pensions from the office of the district council, Benazirabad/Nawabshah.

We comprise four headmasters, three watchmen, four beldars, five naib qasids, two chowkidars, four gardeners, two lab attendants, eight clerks, 10 head clerks, 12 JSTs, 17 HSTs, two DEOs and seven sweepers. All the 39 widows are aged above 70. We have written many letters to the Sindh and the federal government but in vain.

After our 111th memorandum, we received a letter from the finance department vide letter No. SO (LF-I) 3 (5)14/2012, 1-3 (F+file), government of Sindh, dated Aug 30, 2012, containing the following paragraph:

“The finance department, government of Sindh, released 100 per cent OZT share to the district council of Naushahro Feroze for disbursement of salaries and pension to their employees on a priority basis,” and other two letters from the president’s secretariat (Public), Awan-i-Sadar, Islamabad, dated Sept 3, 2012, and Oct 17, 2012, respectively, as “a petition to the province of Sindh for taking such action as deemed appropriate”.

But I am sorry to say that nothing has been done against the indifference of the chief officer, district council, Naushahro Feroze, who has violated all government notifications and put the pensioners in trouble. The total pension amount comes to hardly Rs200,000 a month.

We request the federal government to redress the issue of all pensioners as soon as possible.

FAQEER M. MEMON Representative of old pensioners Naushahro Feroze