OKARA, Nov 3: About 1,200 people could not get their pension ahead of Eidul Fitr owing to the negligence and indifference of Employees Old-age Benefit Institution (EOBI) staff.

These poor pensioners just get Rs1,300 to Rs1,600 per month.

A group of retired factory workers, led by a former labour leader comrade Abdul Majid, told this correspondent that earlier they had been getting EOBI amount through Habib Bank Limited (HBL).

About 18 months ago, these funds were transferred to United Bank Limited, Mr Majid said and added that the UBL had informed all workers in September this year that the main branch of NBP would pay them their pension in future.

“When we approached the NBP branch, we were told that the bank neither had received funds nor record of the recipients and we are unpaid even in November,” he said.

According to the NBP sources, some EOBI officials had visited the branch about a month ago and promised to send the whole record and funds, but the bank had received nothing by now.

It is pertinent to mention here that earlier people have been receiving pension easily from branches of UBL and HBL close to their areas like Okara, Deepalpur, Hujra Shah Muqeem and Renala Khurd, but now they will have to approach the main branch in the city for getting payment.