More than forty thousand pensioners of PTCL, including 15,000 widows have protesting on being deprived of the increase in pensions since 2010 to date and also other benefits announced by the government in compliance with the orders of Supreme Court issued on 12th June, 2015.
More tragic is that they have not been paid even the increase announced in the recent budge-2017 whereas other government departments have paid the announced increase. It was expressed by the Central Representatives of PTPT Muhammad Azam Qureshi, Central Vice- President Mazhar Ahmad Mangi, Secretary General Pakistan Ayaz Jaferi, Najibur Rehman, Nadim Ahmad Thathvi, lqbal Ch, Mirza Jahangir Beg. President Punjab Ejaz Butt General-Secretary, Balochistan Hidayatullah Mastui and Abdul Sattar Mengal.
They said that due to mental tension a good number of victimized pensioners has become psychiatric while many have departed to their eternal abode with sorrows and hopes. Many senior citizens have given up hopes and due to financial constraints are in ailing condition. They added that some favorite smuggled pensioners from association, by the administration, are sabotaging the efforts and are running the department as their empire and none is to check them up. The victimized pensioners have demanded that Prime Minister and Supreme Court should come forward to take up the matter as about 3 Iakh employees of PTCL are at stake.
They have warned the administration if their demands are not addressed they, along with their families will come on roads with sit-ins, hunger strike and protests responsibility of which will recline on those who are the master-minds of the victimization dilemma of pensioners.
MIRZA JEHANGEER BEG,
Lahore, December 16.