The management of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as Radio Pakistan, continues to show defiance to the orders passed by WafaqiMohtasib on October 17, 2022 directing the organization to make payment of commutation to the pensioners.
Mr. AbidAajiz, Deputy Controller (retired) told this correspondent that they had moved WafaqiMohtasib after the PBC authorities failed to pay them their commutation even after passage of three years. After hearing the parties, WafaqiMohtasib directed the PBC Management to arrange payment but it did not care a fig for the orders and filed an appeal with the President instead. The President also rejected the PBC appeal on June 22 this year, since it had no grounds, and directed the concerned department to arrange payment of commutation in three months.
Some three hundred and fifty pensioners anxiously waited for implementation of these orders/ directives for three months but in vain.
In the meantime, PBC authorities fail to chalk out plan to address the crucial issue and sat on the file. The Director General PBC is refusing to pay this amount on various pretexts.
The pensioners, whom this correspondent talked to, deplored that their representatives have to go from office to office every day to beg their lawful rights, including commutation, medical allowance and increase announced in budget 2023-24. Instead of making some viable plan to address the financial problems of the ailing and aged pensioners, the Director General is lavishly spending scarce funds of the organization on his petty plans, like building new washrooms etc. He had loudly been speaking out against pensioners, saying they are not his liability.
The pensioners also recalled that they were denied pension for three months in a row last year but the Director General remained unmoved. On one occasion, he asked the pensioners to sign a paper with him, which delayed pension for about 10 days in spite availability of funds.
