Hundreds of pensioners, widows and retired workers of the municipal committee in several districts of Punjab are facing inadvertent delay in monthly payment of their pensions. They have appealed to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for early payment as they have not received the same for the last two months. If they don’t get in May, it would be the third consecutive month they would be passing without necessary funds to meet their daily needs.
Ironically, pensioners of all other provincial departments like health, education, excise, police, etc are not facing any delay of their pensions however, the retired clerks, head clerks, overseers, sweepers and even naibqasid of the Municipal committees in Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Mianwali and other districts of Punjab are not being paid for the last two months. When they approach their accounts department they are told to wait.
“How long shall we wait as this pension is our only source of income,” complained a retired worker of the Municipal Committee and expressed her dismay at the indifference by the Secretary Local Government and the subordinate departments.
We have to buy medicines, wheat flour, pay utility bills out of the meager pension we receive but unfortunately that very pension is being delayed, said another municipal worker of Layyah requesting not to be named. When approached a senior official of the Local Government confirmed the pensioners of the Municipal committees in different districts have not been paid owing to scarcity of funds. We are trying our best to generate funds and soon they will be paid, he assured.
