Last week, a determined group of retired employees from Radio Pakistan marched through the streets of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), voicing their frustrations over delayed retirement benefits and pensions that remain unpaid despite years of service.
The demonstrators, a coalition of former staff who dedicated decades of their lives to the national broadcaster, gathered to demand immediate action from the government, shedding light on the financial hardships they currently face.
Organised by a committed faction of people who have retired, the lively protest featured banners and placards boldly displaying slogans that echoed throughout the gathering.
One protester articulated the sentiments shared by many, stating, “We, the pensioners of Radio Pakistan across the country, including those in PoGB, are peacefully protesting for our rights. As retired employees from PBC Gilgit, we have gathered here to convey our demands to the government through your platform.”
The core of the discontent revolves around the failure to release pensions, gratuities, and other retirement benefits. Many participants recounted how they have not seen any payments since January 2020.
“The increased pension amounts announced in the annual budget for 2023 and 2024 have not been disbursed to us,” one retiree lamented, emphasising a sense of despair. “This leaves pensioners deprived of their entitlements, which we relied on after decades of service.”
In addition to their financial grievances, the protesters raised alarm over the deteriorating state of medical facilities available to retirees.
“The medical services for pensioners have been absent for a long time,” noted a distressed retiree.
“Since 2017, our medical bills remain unpaid, creating significant hardship for many of us who are in urgent need of medical care.” Many expressed concern over the lack of support in their later years, leaving them vulnerable and struggling to cope without essential healthcare services.
The Star