I AM a widow and appeal to Prime Minister Imran Khan to please order the immediate opening of National Savings Centre branches. Profits from the government’s saving schemes are my only source of income. This is true of hundreds of thousands of others in my position. Similarly, old and retired people who served the government in the best years of their lives survive only on saving schemes income.

I was a school teacher and did the honourable job of giving education to young Pakistanis. My students are now in positions of authority, but, I, their teacher, survive only on the meager saving scheme benefits. But the savings centres are closed because of the pandemic. I request the prime minister — known for compassion — to order the opening of savings centres immediately.

A widow
Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2020