EOBI pensioners remain deprived

ISLAMABAD: While the Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced a 10 percent raise for the federal government pensioners for 2014-15, there was no mention of an increase in pension for the EOBI pensioners who get a paltry Rs3,600 per month.

These pensioners were also deprived of an increase in the current FY 2013-14 while the government pensioners were given a 15 percent raiseand their minimum pension was raised to Rs5,000 per month, which has now been further raised to Rs6,000.

Interestingly, the Federal Minister for Human Resource Development Pir Sadruddin Rashdi had announced a couple of months back that the rate of per month pension for the EOBI beneficiaries would be enhanced to Rs6,000 per month from July 1 with the increase in pension of other government employees.

When contacted for comments, the incumbent Chairman EOBI Ayub Sheikh told The News on Tuesday that an increase in pension of the institution’s beneficiaries cannot be granted on the basis of actual evaluation, hence it was not recommended. He said that according to the latest evaluation, the funds available with the institution would start depleting from the year 2021 and would be finished by the year 2050, hence no increase could be awarded to the pensioners.