Plight of EOBI Pensioners
By Imam Dad
The announcement of the annual budget of our country is reflective of our national priorities in financial paradigm. There is no field of human activities which can not be impacted by the budget. In an egalitarian society the benefits of budget percolates on one or the other way on its citizens. The logic behind is that they contribute to the development of the country they word. Further more, it helps cope with inflation which impacts on the prices of commodities of life.
If a balanced and just budget is so indispensable for the survival of its citizens, then why has the government been negligent and insensitive towards needs of the EOBI pensioners for the last five years? Their monthly pension was 5250 in 2010 and in 2018 they live on the same tad pension, whereas during this period the inflation has been spirally going up!
The most apparent reason behind this state of affairs is that these pensioners work in private sector. They private sector rulers fear that with the increase in pension on annul basis, the employer will also have to pay EOBI institution, which is very painful for them. And for the fear of this they do not entertain the EOBI pensioners.
Another plight of EOBI pensioners is that event if they work for fifty years in an institution there is no increase in their pension. Thousands of such wretched poor souls are found throughout our country, where as in the government sector, the length of service determines monthly pension. They have been feeling it very seriously but the lack of interest and callousness of government no step has been taken to redress their problems.
If the plight of their pension continues, naturally, their frustration will go on mounting to the extent that the bitter experience of old age will becomes venomous.
The concerned authorities have not been empathetic towards the EOBI pensioners, so they fail to know how much they have been suffering from the complex issues of inferiority and humiliation before their compatriots whose pension has been increasing on annul basis. Do the intellectuals, philanthropist and visionary leader remain silent and turn a deaf ear reality?
This suppressed section of our society can get rid of injustice if they take a step to end this injustice.
To this effect, the Chief Justice of Pakistan can play a vital role by calling the concerned authorities in and ridding the affected people of injustice and cruelty. Thereby they will be able to live an honorable life in the comity of pension beneficiaries if their pension be increased on annual basis. Otherwise, it is tantamount to throttling the families of EOBI pensioners.
