Govt urged to increase pension by 50pc

TIMERGARA: The retired employees have demanded of provincial government to increase their pensions at least by 50 per cent as 15 to 20 per cent raise announced by the federal government was not enough for them to make both ends meet.The demand was made during a meeting of All Pensioners Association held here at a local hotel with Haji Abdul Rehman in the chair.The retired employees of different departments attended the meeting. The association general secretary, Haji Muhammad Hafizullah, Haji Gul Jamal, Qadir Khan, Mohammad Saeed Khan and others addressed the meeting.They complained that federal government totally ignored former civil servants in the budget and announced only 15 per cent increase in the pensions of those, who retired after 2002. The pensions of the government employees, who retired before 2002, had been increased by 20 per cent, they added.They said that government reduced their gratuity by 35 to 50 per cent. They said that owing to inflation they were finding it difficult to lead an honourable life. – Dawn