ISLAMABAD - A three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heard a human rights case regarding the minimum wages. Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday were the other members of the bench. The action was taken on the appeal of lady health workers of Punjab who had stated in their appeal that they were paid Rs 3,500 per month while an ordinary labourer was being paid Rs 7,000 monthly. The Court observed the discrimination because, according to the Labour Rules, minimum wages were fixed at Rs 7,000 per month and ordered the Joint Secretary Health to remove this discrimination. On this the Joint Secretary Heath sought time to consult the matter with the concerned authorities. Similarly the same bench heard a human rights case regarding the benevolent fund. The action was taken on the appeal of a widow who stated in her appeal that as per existing Benevolent Fund Rules, the widows of those government servants who died after their retirement, were allowed financial aid out of benevolent fund for a period of fifteen years from the date of their retirement whereas the widows of those who died during service were allowed financial aid for life-time. She requested that the widows whose husbands died after retirement should also be allowed financial aid out of Benevolent Fund for life-time and in this regard existing rules should be amended. She also prayed for increase in benevolent fund. The case was heard and the Court observed the discrimination and ordered the Additional Chief Secretary Punjab to redress grievances. The Additional Chief Secretary Punjab requested for time to calculate the expenses to remove the discrimination.