Retired Officers Living Abroad Get Pension in US Dollars

A recent Right to Information (RTI) request has brought to light that retired civil and military officers living abroad are receiving their pensions in foreign currencies. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), there are 164 pensioners residing abroad who receive their pensions in currencies other than the Pakistani rupee. This revelation stands in stark contrast to the reported grievances of retired government servants living in Pakistan, who have raised concerns about the non-payment of pensions in rupees.

The matter might have gone unnoticed if not for the efforts of RTI activist Naeem Sadiq. He stumbled upon this information through an acquaintance who mentioned a retired squadron leader residing abroad but receiving a pension from Pakistan in dollars. Sadiq, intrigued by this, filed an RTI request with the Pakistan Air Force to obtain details about the number of retired officers living abroad and receiving pensions in foreign currencies. However, the requested information was not disclosed.

Undeterred, Sadiq approached MoFA to inquire about the processing of pension cases for such individuals. MoFA, like the Pakistan Air Force, was hesitant to share details and directed Sadiq to check with the Accountant General of Pakistan (AGPR). Despite his efforts, the AGPR also refused to provide the requested information. Faced with these obstacles, Sadiq turned to the Pakistan Information Commission, but even they proved unhelpful. The prevailing pattern suggests a bias toward government interests rather than citizens’ concerns.

Frustrated by the lack of transparency, Sadiq decided to take the matter to the Islamabad High Court. The Pakistan Information Commission, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Accountant General of Pakistan were all made parties to the case. When the court issued a notice to the respondents to explain their refusal to provide information, MoFA finally agreed to share the details. In response to the court’s notice, MoFA revealed that there are 164 government pensioners residing abroad who receive their pensions in foreign exchange, amounting to an annual burden of Rs200 million.

Armed with this information, Sadiq wrote to MoFA and the AGPR, condemning the practice as a violation of Article 25 of the constitution, which guarantees equal protection under the law for all citizens. Sadiq argued that by favoring a select few, these departments not only breach Article 25 but also harm Pakistan’s interests. He emphasized that providing pensions in foreign exchange depletes Pakistan’s critical foreign exchange reserves, especially when the country is struggling for financial survival. Sadiq called for an immediate end to this practice, urging that all retired government officials’ pensions should be paid exclusively in Pakistani rupees.

It’s worth noting that in recent years, the media has reported instances of Pakistan’s diplomatic staff abroad experiencing delays in salary disbursement due to a shortage of dollars. Furthermore, pensioners from various departments have occasionally faced non-payment on a monthly basis, also attributed to insufficient funds.