Poor pensioners

I fully agree with the presentation in the letter dated 21 June 2006, of Nisar Ahmed of Karachi on the 'Dearness Allowance' that appeared in your paper.
In this regard, I further add that the matter of increasing in the pensions of retired pensioners, especially of banks and financial institutions, is always ignored, which must be revived with substantial increase.
It is also not out of place to quote here that: "In para 10 of Notification No 17(9)IF-XI-77 dated 30.11.1977 of the Ministry of Finance, it was laid down that any changes or revision in the rates on the scales of pension or gratuity that may hereafter be made by the Federal Government, shall also applied to the officers/executives of the banks, including the State Bank of Pakistan and the Financial institutions (Financial institutions or banks are not categorised either as private or government owned).
It is also a matter of high concern that whenever the Federal Finance Minister has announced a rise in the pensions for Federal Government pensioners, similar increases were announced, in their budget speeches, for pensioners of autonomous bodies, corporations and banks. But for the last few years, such announcements only cover the federal government pensioners, ignoring those belonging to the autonomous bodies/corporations and banks. Consequently, the banks, specially the privatised banks, refused and do not allow increases in the pensions of their retired employees for many many years, whereas they had strengthened the country by rendering services in their lives' golden years so that the banks reached a stage where they are earning high profit rates.
Is it not deplorable on the part of the banks management that instead of realising Islamic teachings with regard to behaviour to old ailing persons, they are shirking their responsibility? How they will face God on the Day of Judgement? The gravity of negligence is very high and must be arrested by the power holding personnel of the concerned departments.
The private banks must be compelled to extend special sympathy to poor pensioners when most of them are suffering from physical, mental diseases of old age. No body knows how long they will live. The aged pensioners of private banks are looking forward to due respect, justice and fairness from the young and rich management and hope that their pensions and medical benefits will be substantially increased with retrospective effect.