I WOULD like to draw the government’s attention towards the injustice to PIA’s retirees.

The national airline gives its employees 32pc of their salary as pension, but the formula was calculated on their basic pays. This is unjust. All other governmental organisations give their retired employees 50pc of their salaries as pensions.

This was also in practice at Pakistan International Airlines till the end of 2003. Now, the management should review the issue.

The retirees have been demanding for a long time that the airline should either give them 50pc pension on the basic pay or relate the 32pc pension to their total salaries.

There was only a one-time increase in pensions and that was in 2013. Also, the management should increase the retirees’pension according to its circular No 21 issued on July 21, 2003.

The circular clearly mentioned as follows: “In future revision or suitable increase in pension shall be linked with salary revision of serving employees.”

Last July the airline increased the salaries of its employees twice, but no increase in pensions was made. The management should increase the pensions with the same ratio.

Bashir Ahmad

Ex-General Manager

Public Relations, PIA

Published in Dawn February 4th, 2017