KARACHI: PTCL pensioners in Karachi have rejected the recently announced increases in monthly pensions by PTCL and the Pakistan Telecommunication Employees Trust (PTET), describing the adjustments as insufficient amid rising living costs.
In a joint statement, pensioners including Athar Javed Sufi, Sabir Hussain, Muhammad Masood Fareedi, Syed Rashid Anwar, Syed Zain Shah and Abdul Khaliq said increases of 4.5% and 6% did not adequately address their financial concerns. They called for a review of pension adjustments and the resolution of their long-standing grievances.
Pensioners Cite Supreme Court Orders
The pensioners said that, according to what they described as orders and clarification issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, PTET cannot reduce a pensioner’s monthly pension or determine pension increases at its own discretion.
They alleged that PTET had again failed to fully comply with the court’s judgment, similar to their claims regarding the previous year’s pension adjustment. The allegations were made in the pensioners’ joint statement.
Call for Government Intervention
The pensioners also expressed concern over what they described as continued government inaction on their pension-related grievances. They said the government had guaranteed the rights of PTCL employees during the company’s privatisation but had not adequately addressed their concerns since 2010.
They appealed to the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of the issues raised by PTCL pensioners and support measures to resolve their grievances.
Pension Refunds and Full Implementation Demanded
The pensioners demanded the refund of what they described as unlawful deductions from their pensions and called for PTET and PTCL management to implement government-announced pension increases in full and without alteration.
They said they hoped the relevant authorities would intervene to address their concerns and protect what they described as the legitimate pension entitlements of former PTCL employees.
The claims regarding Supreme Court orders, pension deductions and government guarantees are attributed to the pensioners’ joint statement and have not been independently verified here.