LAHORE - Ombudsman Punjab Javed Mahmood has directed Accountant General Punjab and Secretary Finance to pay double pension to the pensioners attaining the age of 75 before Eid. In separate letters to Accountant General Punjab and Finance Secretary Punjab, Ombudsman Punjab has reminded them that a three member bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan has dismissed various writ petitions including 47 civil appeals of the Punjab Government in this regard. The judgment is in rem applicable to all such pensioners placed in similar circumstances and thus, the question of law decided by the courts is liable to be extended to the non-litigant pensioners of the Punjab Government, said the Ombudsman Punjab. This was disclosed by the Inchage Mohtasib Punjab Pension Cell, Wazir Ahmad Qureshi while addressing to the pensioners who attended “Pensioners Day” at Ombudsman Office Lahore.
Wazir Ahmad Qurshi said that Ombudsman Punjab in its order on April 22, 2014 had declared the retired employees attaining the age of 75 entitled for double pension and directed Accountant General Punjab and Finance Secretary to revise their pension books for the payment. Punjab Government had issued a circular on October 22, 2001, according to which pension restoration of the retiring employees was withdrawn. After the orders of the Ombudsman Punjab, the Punjab Government filed a number of appeals before Supreme Court who dismissed all and declared the circular of Punjab Government issued on October 22, 2001, violative of the Article 25 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Ombudsman Punjab has directed the Accountant General Punjab and Secretary Finance to revise pension books of the pensioners attaining the age of 75 years and make arrangements for the payment of double pension alongwith their arrears before Eid. He has also directed them to implement the Supreme Court’s judgment in letter and spirit and send compliance report to Ombudsman Punjab Office.