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SHC summons Sindh accountant general

Staff Report

KARACHI: A division bench of Sindh High Court comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan ordered the Sindh accountant general on Monday to appear before the court in person on November 23 with an explanation regarding inordinate delay in payment of pension to government employees who had retired four to seven years ago.

The bench was hearing a number of identical petitions filed by the employees of Pak-Swedish Institute of Technical Education who maintained that they were not paid pension and other benefits and dues.

When the petitions came up for hearing on Monday, Sindh additional advocate general said that the petitioners were not cooperating in determining their remaining dues, while the court orders have been complied with.

The counsel for the petitioner and one of the petitioners present in the court stated that some of their dues regarding difference in salaries were released, but they were still deprived of pension and other benefits despite their retirement years ago.

The bench in its order said, “It seems that despite the order dated February 23, 2006 to implement judgement of the Sindh Services Tribunal within 90 days, the petitioners were deprived of pension benefits. It is a very grave situation wherein a retired employee is denied pension for more than five years, and in the case of M Maqbool Ghani (another petitioner), seven years have gone by, but the pension and other dues are yet to be paid.

Such conduct of respondents as well as the accountant general office runs contrary to the judgement of Supreme Court of Pakistan, providing that pensionary benefits be paid not later than six months.”

The bench directed the Sindh accountant general and other respondents, including directors of Technical Education and Swedish Institute of Technical Education, to appear before the court in person with proper explanation about inordinate delay in payment of pension and other dues to the petitioners.

The bench has fixed November 23 as the next date of hearing in the case.

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