MORE than 4,000 retired employees of Radio Pakistan continue to suffer due to delayed payment of pensions every now and then. A delay of a month is a routine affair. Last year, the pensions were delayed for as many as three months. Needless to say, the rising prices are making the life of pensioners more and more difficult.

Last year, the federal government had announced a very meagre raise in pension. The retired employees were paid this “very kind favour of the regime” in October 2023, and the arrears of four months are still awaited.

The federal government showers hefty increases on its serving employees, and only half of that amount is announced for the retired employees. By doing so, the decision-makers disregard the bitter fact that the serving employees also enjoy many benefits besides their salaries.

The federal government, in July 2022, had very quietly replaced Radio Pakistan’s own pay scales with the government pay scales. This change entitled the employees to enjoy the facility of medical allowance. But the pensioners continue to face the brunt of inflation. This is not fair, is it?

M.Z. Rifat
Lahore

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2024