THE retired/voluntarily separated employees of Pakistan State Oil have been deprived of the payment of 12 per cent government of Pakistan share and dividend announced under the Benazir Employees Stock Option Scheme since December 2009.

Employees of several other companies and entities such as Oil and Gas Development Corporation, Pakistan Petroleum Limited, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, Mari Gas and National Insurance Company Limited have already received the payments.

We have continually pursued the issue with the PSO for payment in this regard. However, the PSO claims that it is awaiting funds of Rs114 million from the ministry for disbursement to the 110 affected Pakistan State Oil employees.

It is worth mentioning that all retired/voluntarily separated employees of the Pakistan State Oil had served the organisation for so many decades and contributed to making the Pakistan State Oil the only company included from Pakistan in ‘Fortune 500’ companies of Asia.

We request President Asif Ali Zardari to kindly issue directives to the ministry concerned to arrange funds for BESOS payments to Pakistan State Oil employees without any further delay.

ABU KHURSHEED M. ARIF Karachi