ISLAMABAD: The Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) pensioners urged the government to increase their pension from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000 per month so they can meet their basic needs.
A large number of pensioners who have given their life and experience to the economic and industrial development of this country are in acute economic and mental stress over not being able to manage the basic needs of life.
The EOBI pensioners urged the government to allow pensioners to live with dignity and honour by increasing the EOBI pension to an amount equivalent to the minimum wage prevailing at any given time. The old people among EOBI pensioners said that the government should also issue health cards to provide them the most critical cover they need in this phase of their lives.
Pension holders of EOBI were waiting that the government would increase their pension in Budget-2024-25 but it did not increase.
Muhammad Azad, 78 years of age, while talking to Business Recorder, said that Rs 10,000 pension is a very minor amount, we cannot purchase even medicines for one month with this amount as the price of medicines have increased by 400 percent.
He said that the lives of the EOBI pension holders are in a miserable condition due to price hike in the country. He said that the government should increase minimum pension from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000 to fulfill the basic needs of life. He said that we could not meet living expenses, which include food, shelter, clothing, medical expenses, utility bills, travelling, etc.
He said that we had hoped from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government to increase pension in Budget-2024-25 but did not do so. He urged the government to increase pension of the EOBI pension holders. He said that the old people among EOBI pension holders hoped from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to increase their pension.
Another EOBI pension holder, Majid Altaf, who is 77-year-old, said that the inflation is increasing day-by-day in the country but his pension had not increased for the last two years as announced by the government.
He said that he is unable to purchase medicines and other basic food items due to much lower pension. He appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to increase the EOBI pension for giving financial relief to the old people. He also appealed the prime minister to increase the EOBI pension to an amount equivalent to the minimum wage of a labourer.
Muhammad Hussain, another pension holder, said that Rs 10,000 pension is nominal, while price hike in the country is increasing day by day. He said that due to this price hike, he could not pay electricity and gas bills. He appealed to the prime minister to increase the pension.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024