FOR easing financial hardships of serving employees, as well as of pensioners, the government of Pakistan announces each year 15 to 20 per cent increase in salaries and pension of the above-mentioned persons. However, many corporations, the SBP included, do not follow the instructions announced by the finance ministry during presentation of the budget in the National Assembly.

In our case the SBP did not allow us the 20 per cent raise in the pension following the announcement of the budget for 2010-11, though hefty increase in salaries of serving employees were allowed by the authorities concerned.  It, therefore, seems necessary that while announcing the increase in salaries and pensions, it may be clearly mentioned that increase in salaries and pensions may be allowed to all employees and pensioners of the government as well as of all institutions working under the government, i.e. corporations, SBP and others, so that all employees, serving and retired, should get the benefit of increase as announced in the annual budget by the ministry of finance with effect from July 1 of the new financial year, i.e. July 1, 2012, without any ambiguity and hesitation.

DR ALI AKBAR DHAKAN Ex-State Bank Executive Director Karachi