164 Retired officers settled abroad getting pension in dollars

[muhammadhafeezmalik]

Retired officers settled abroad getting pension in dollars​

An RTI request has unearthed that civil and military pensioners living abroad are receiving their pensions in foreign currency. There are as many as 164 pensioners, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), who live abroad and receive their pensions in currency other than the rupee. This is in contrast with the reported concerns of retired government servants living in Pakistan who have been complaining of the non-payment of pensions -- which they receive in rupees.

The issue would have remained under the radar had it not been for RTI activist Naeem Sadiq struggling to obtain details of this issue after finding out about it. He had initially heard about this through an acquaintance, who had told him about a retired squadron leader living abroad but receiving a pension from Pakistan in dollars.

Sadiq then filed an RTI request to the Pakistan Air Force under the Right of Access to Information Act (2017), inquiring about the number of retired PAF officers living abroad and receiving pensions in foreign currency; he didn’t ask for their names, The information however was not shared. Then he knocked at the door of MoFA, inquiring how many pension cases of such individuals are processed through it.

MoFA too was reluctant to share the details and instead advised Naeem Sadiq to check with the accountant general of Pakistan (AGPR). The AGPR also declined to provide the requested information. Sadiq then approached the Pakistan Information Commission, the appellant body you turn to when such departments refuse information. The commission was not helpful either. Both pattern and history suggest that the current lot of commissioners at the PIC are more accommodating towards the government than the citizens who lodge complaints.This is when Naeem Sadiq decided to move the Islamabad High Court. The Pakistan Information Commission, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Accountant General of Pakistan were made parties to the case. When the court served notice to the respondents to provide an explanation for refusing to furnish the requested information, MoFA agreed to share details with the complainant. This is how MoFA replied to the court’s notice for explanation: “There are a total of 164 civil and military Pakistani government pensioners, residing abroad, who are every month paid pension in foreign exchange, sent from Pakistan. That the yearly burden of this select few government pensioners is Rs200 million (paid in foreign exchange).” Using this information, Sadiq wrote to both MoFA and the AGPR, terming this practice as a violation of Article 25 of the constitution, which says that “All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law”.Naeem Sadiq further wrote that by providing this favour, the above-mentioned two departments are not only violating Article 25 but also harming the interests of Pakistan. Sadiq wrote: “The payment of pensions in forex to a chosen few deprives Pakistan of its critical and deficient resource ie foreign exchange. This is a country that had to sell its self-respect and compromise its sovereignty to beg for every single dollar. How come when Pakistan fights its battle for financial survival, you decide to provide special indulgence to an elite group of 164 individuals. This must come to an immediate end and all pensions of all retired government officials be paid in Pakistani rupees only”.It may be noted that for the past few years, the media has on different occasions reported that Pakistan’s diplomatic staff abroad have had to wait for months for their salaries to be disbursed -- apparently due to shortage of dollars. Not only that, the media has also been reporting about pensioners of different departments who have on occasion not been paid on a monthly basis due to shortage of funds.

Retired officers settled abroad getting pension in dollars

ISLAMABAD: An RTI request has unearthed that civil and military pensioners living abroad are receiving their pensions in foreign currency. There are as many as 164 pensioners, according to the...

www.thenews.com.pk

 

[One_Nation]

This country was made for the elites. I am surprised only 164 of them are doing this.

 

[HAIDER]

Retired officers settled abroad getting pension in dollars​

An RTI request has unearthed that civil and military pensioners living abroad are receiving their pensions in foreign currency. There are as many as 164 pensioners, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), who live abroad and receive their pensions in currency other than the rupee. This is in contrast with the reported concerns of retired government servants living in Pakistan who have been complaining of the non-payment of pensions -- which they receive in rupees.

The issue would have remained under the radar had it not been for RTI activist Naeem Sadiq struggling to obtain details of this issue after finding out about it. He had initially heard about this through an acquaintance, who had told him about a retired squadron leader living abroad but receiving a pension from Pakistan in dollars.

Sadiq then filed an RTI request to the Pakistan Air Force under the Right of Access to Information Act (2017), inquiring about the number of retired PAF officers living abroad and receiving pensions in foreign currency; he didn’t ask for their names, The information however was not shared. Then he knocked at the door of MoFA, inquiring how many pension cases of such individuals are processed through it.

MoFA too was reluctant to share the details and instead advised Naeem Sadiq to check with the accountant general of Pakistan (AGPR). The AGPR also declined to provide the requested information. Sadiq then approached the Pakistan Information Commission, the appellant body you turn to when such departments refuse information. The commission was not helpful either. Both pattern and history suggest that the current lot of commissioners at the PIC are more accommodating towards the government than the citizens who lodge complaints.This is when Naeem Sadiq decided to move the Islamabad High Court. The Pakistan Information Commission, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Accountant General of Pakistan were made parties to the case. When the court served notice to the respondents to provide an explanation for refusing to furnish the requested information, MoFA agreed to share details with the complainant. This is how MoFA replied to the court’s notice for explanation: “There are a total of 164 civil and military Pakistani government pensioners, residing abroad, who are every month paid pension in foreign exchange, sent from Pakistan. That the yearly burden of this select few government pensioners is Rs200 million (paid in foreign exchange).” Using this information, Sadiq wrote to both MoFA and the AGPR, terming this practice as a violation of Article 25 of the constitution, which says that “All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law”.Naeem Sadiq further wrote that by providing this favour, the above-mentioned two departments are not only violating Article 25 but also harming the interests of Pakistan. Sadiq wrote: “The payment of pensions in forex to a chosen few deprives Pakistan of its critical and deficient resource ie foreign exchange. This is a country that had to sell its self-respect and compromise its sovereignty to beg for every single dollar. How come when Pakistan fights its battle for financial survival, you decide to provide special indulgence to an elite group of 164 individuals. This must come to an immediate end and all pensions of all retired government officials be paid in Pakistani rupees only”.It may be noted that for the past few years, the media has on different occasions reported that Pakistan’s diplomatic staff abroad have had to wait for months for their salaries to be disbursed -- apparently due to shortage of dollars. Not only that, the media has also been reporting about pensioners of different departments who have on occasion not been paid on a monthly basis due to shortage of funds.

Retired officers settled abroad getting pension in dollars

ISLAMABAD: An RTI request has unearthed that civil and military pensioners living abroad are receiving their pensions in foreign currency. There are as many as 164 pensioners, according to the...

www.thenews.com.pk

Govt should end the pension system for certain classes. That is extreme burden on the economy. Pension should be only for grades 15 and below. Pension sucks huge chunk of the exchequer

 

[muhammadhafeezmalik]

Govt should end the pension system for certain classes. That is extreme burden on the economy. Pension should be only for grades 15 and below. Pension sucks huge chunk of the exchequer

In 2035 all our tax collection would go to pensions.

• Rising life expectancy coupled with declining fertility rates are resulting in changes in the age structure of the population. This demographic transition will soon lead to an increase in the proportion of elderly population in Pakistan. Thus the economic burden on the current and future young generations to support their elderly is expected to rise in future.
• The conventional means of support for the elderly through strong inter-generational family ties are also likely to dry up as the joint family system in Pakistan is gradually breaking down.
• The existing pension system in Pakistan has very low coverage and the fiscal resources are collected form broader population to cover pension for the minority.
• The current pension system in Pakistan is highly biased in favor of public sector employees who are treated quite generously in comparison to private sector workers who do not generally have access to any worthwhile old-age security system.
• The pension system for the public sector employees operates as unfounded (pay as you go) system, which places substantial financial pressure on budgetary allocations.
• The payment of commutation without discounting doubles the government’s long term and unfunded fiscal liability for pensions.
• Employers’ ability to pool longevity risk is reduced with the practice of commutation, so the cost of pension is increased for the government. This practice also creates hurdles
• 143 Journal of Economic Cooperation and Development in reforming compensation package as a whole, e.g. monetizing compensation without revising the structure of commutation would mean that government pension liabilities would explode.
• Efforts to reduce the burden of pensions by early retirement schemes, mostly in the form of the so-called golden handshake schemes, are on the rise in Pakistan.
• Most of these scheme aim at downsizing the pool of employees in various public sector and semi-government organizations that are up for privatization. This practice has reduced the supply of experienced labor in many professions.
• Uneven pension schemes across sectors and across professions have created unwarranted obstacles to job mobility.
• Properly functioning private annuity market is almost non- existent in Pakistan.

https://jecd.sesric.org/pdf.php?file=ART11100901-2.pdf

 

[HAIDER]

In 2035 all our tax collection would go to pensions.

• Rising life expectancy coupled with declining fertility rates are resulting in changes in the age structure of the population. This demographic transition will soon lead to an increase in the proportion of elderly population in Pakistan. Thus the economic burden on the current and future young generations to support their elderly is expected to rise in future.
• The conventional means of support for the elderly through strong inter-generational family ties are also likely to dry up as the joint family system in Pakistan is gradually breaking down.
• The existing pension system in Pakistan has very low coverage and the fiscal resources are collected form broader population to
• cover pension for the minority.
• The current pension system in Pakistan is highly biased in favor of public sector employees who are treated quite generously in comparison to private sector workers who do not generally have access to any worthwhile old-age security system.
• The pension system for the public sector employees operates as unfounded (pay as you go) system, which places substantial financial pressure on budgetary allocations.
• The payment of commutation without discounting doubles the government’s long term and unfunded fiscal liability for
• pensions. Employers’ ability to pool longevity risk is reduced with the practice of commutation, so the cost of pension is increased for the government. This practice also creates hurdles
• 143 Journal of Economic Cooperation and Development in reforming compensation package as a whole, e.g. monetizing compensation without revising the structure of commutation would mean that government pension liabilities would explode.
• Efforts to reduce the burden of pensions by early retirement schemes, mostly in the form of the so-called golden handshake schemes, are on the rise in Pakistan. Most of these scheme aim at downsizing the pool of employees in various public sector and semi-government organizations that are up for privatization. This practice has reduced the supply of experienced labor in many professions.
• Uneven pension schemes across sectors and across professions have created unwarranted obstacles to job mobility.
• Properly functioning private annuity market is almost non- existent in Pakistan.

https://jecd.sesric.org/pdf.php?file=ART11100901-2.pdf

Eventually, this will end. I heard govt employees are already under consideration and they are worried about their retirement.

 

[Jf Thunder]

a bloody squadron leader? Thats around BPS-18

at least the civilian elites are BPS-21 and above

the fauji elites start at BPS-18, damn

 

[alphapak]

Napak Fouji Generals don't serve their own Country but they loot it instead and then run away to live
a luxury life in the west. Same with Politicians like Mota Nawaja, he only comes to Pakistan to loot
then run away to enjoy that loot in London.

 

[One_Nation]

Napak Fouji Generals don't serve their own Country but they loot it instead and then run away to live
a luxury life in the west. Same with Politicians like Mota Nawaja, he only comes to Pakistan to loot
then run away to enjoy that loot in London.

View attachment 1018166

Did he deposit that in toshakhana?

 

[alphapak]

Did he deposit that in toshakhana?

No one can ask that question or even ask how he has amassed so much wealth.
Azam Swati asked that question and he was picked up by Napak Fouj and tortured.

Bajwa is enjoying his loot from selling Pakistan, he is out of the Country. Some people
say that he has more than 40 million dollars in his account.

 

[delta2]

No one can ask that question or even ask how he has amassed so much wealth.
Azam Swati asked that question and he was picked up by Napak Fouj and tortured.

Bajwa is enjoying his loot from selling Pakistan, he is out of the Country. Some people
say that he has more than 40 million dollars in his account.

$40 Million is nothing but just some pocket change.

If he didn't make at least $3 Billion, he sold out too cheap.

As Iqbal said, "Sold out but how pathetically lowly a price to be sold out"!

 

[One_Nation]

$40 Million is nothing but just some pocket change.

If he didn't make at least $3 Billion, he sold out too cheap.

As Iqbal said, "Sold out but how pathetically lowly a price to be sold out"!

And he is the one behind toshakhana case against imran khan.

 

[Jango]

How TF did anyone in the bureaucratic chain think that this is perfectly alright and no red flags were raised for this? Shocking.

In 2035 all our tax collection would go to pensions.

• Rising life expectancy coupled with declining fertility rates are resulting in changes in the age structure of the population. This demographic transition will soon lead to an increase in the proportion of elderly population in Pakistan. Thus the economic burden on the current and future young generations to support their elderly is expected to rise in future.
• The conventional means of support for the elderly through strong inter-generational family ties are also likely to dry up as the joint family system in Pakistan is gradually breaking down.
• The existing pension system in Pakistan has very low coverage and the fiscal resources are collected form broader population to
• cover pension for the minority.
• The current pension system in Pakistan is highly biased in favor of public sector employees who are treated quite generously in comparison to private sector workers who do not generally have access to any worthwhile old-age security system.
• The pension system for the public sector employees operates as unfounded (pay as you go) system, which places substantial financial pressure on budgetary allocations.
• The payment of commutation without discounting doubles the government’s long term and unfunded fiscal liability for
• pensions. Employers’ ability to pool longevity risk is reduced with the practice of commutation, so the cost of pension is increased for the government. This practice also creates hurdles
• 143 Journal of Economic Cooperation and Development in reforming compensation package as a whole, e.g. monetizing compensation without revising the structure of commutation would mean that government pension liabilities would explode.
• Efforts to reduce the burden of pensions by early retirement schemes, mostly in the form of the so-called golden handshake schemes, are on the rise in Pakistan. Most of these scheme aim at downsizing the pool of employees in various public sector and semi-government organizations that are up for privatization. This practice has reduced the supply of experienced labor in many professions.
• Uneven pension schemes across sectors and across professions have created unwarranted obstacles to job mobility.
• Properly functioning private annuity market is almost non- existent in Pakistan.

https://jecd.sesric.org/pdf.php?file=ART11100901-2.pdf

That is why we need to change our pensions system, and move towards a contributory structure, like a 401k or something.

KP government under Jhagra did great work on this. That model should be implemented across the country.

 

[cloud4000]

Interesting how so many retired Pakistani military officers live overseas. I met several here in the US. Most have family here, especially sons and daughters, so they stay with them.

 

[Goritoes]

Itna boojh tu Adnan Sami ne apni maa pe bhi nai daala jitna Pak Bhooj ne Pakistan aur us ke logo pe dala hua hai, Haram ka paisa mun ko lag gaya hai ab tu kuch nai ho sakta.

 

[muhammadhafeezmalik]

Eventually, this will end. I heard govt employees are already under consideration and they are worried about their retirement.

Punjab government has started by ending payment for Earned Leaves (this is salary of 18 days every year and salary of 90 days at the retirement), government has offered them that they can avail leaves against this payment, Punjab government employees are protesting because they fear that government will end other retirement benefits also.