LAHORE: Pakistan Railways (PR), the nation’s second-largest institution in terms of both the quantity of trains operated and the number of personnel, has been experiencing protracted delays in paying employees’ salaries as well as honoring retiring officials’ pensions and gratuities.
Dawn has discovered that the situation with regard to gratuity payments is especially bad, as retirees from 2021 are still waiting for their dues.
Employees continue to face salary delays of up to 20 days, even in spite of significant progress. In addition, retiring workers from 2021 still haven’t received their gratuities and unpaid bills from the railroads, revealed Shamas Pervaiz, the All Pakistan Train Drivers Association’s former president and chairman, to Dawn.
“It is true that we have not received our salaries or other dues on time for a long time,” stated Mr. Pervaiz, the chief of the association’s Karachi division chapter at the moment.
Each month, salaries are distributed to railway employees in groups or categories on different days. The employees, including all officers assigned to divisional superintendent offices, railway headquarters, etc., receive their salaries on the first of each month. Every month on the fifth, authorities stationed at loco sheds, shunting crew, station masters and their underlings, and others receive their paychecks. Similarly, the 10th of every month is set aside for drivers, guards, conductor guards, special ticket examiners, drivers, etc. The 16th of every month is designated for the payment of wages to gang members, class-4 employees, temporary workers, daily wagerers, etc.
In actuality, this financial malfeasance happened from the time that former Railways Ministers Sheikh Rashid as well as Azam Sawati held office. Nevertheless, the caretaker administration gave this problem serious attention, which is why the salary payment wait was shortened from one month to twenty days. Mr. Pervaiz clarified, “The situation regarding prompt pension clearance also improved.
“However, there is still a very serious problem with the settlement of gratuities to retired employees,” he continued. Social media users have posted a number of films in which retired pensioners express their dissatisfaction with the pension payment delays.
In a video, a retired employee states, “The government needs to pay attention to the delay in pension payments.”
Similarly, a PR association for pensioners office bearer forewarned the PR authorities via audio message: “We are left with no choice than to embark on a hunger strike. Additionally, the relevant PR authorities would be held accountable if anything were to happen to any retiring senior employees.
According to a PR spokeswoman, the department pays retired and current employees’ debts while taking its revenue into consideration.
“With regard to pensions, the PR management’s various actions have gradually reduced the earlier delay of 23 or 24 days to just 14 days.”
The spokesperson stated that those who retired in 2022 are currently being cleared for gratuity. In response, he stated that the salary wait has been whittled down from roughly 25 days to a maximum of 15 days.
“In this regard, we’re doing our best,” he stated.
SOURCE: DAWN NEWS
