SC orders to increase widows pension to 75pc

Islamabad–Hearing a suo moto case, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has ordered the Punjab government to raise pension of the widows of the Punjab government employees from 50% to 75%.

Advocate General Punjab Khawaja Muhammad Harris told the court that the Punjab government had already decided to increase the pension for the widows of the government employees to 75%. He said that the provincial government also decided to increase the marriage grant for the daughters of the government servants. Three member bench of the SC headed by chief justice Iftikhar muhamamd Chaudhry and comprising justice Muhammad Sair Ali and Justice Ghulam Rabbani heard the case.

The Supreme Court issued notices to the provincial governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Sindh and asked the provincial governments to submit reports in this regard.

Finance and establishment secretaries and attorney general were also served notices regarding the matter. The court adjourned the hearing of the case for three weeks.

Source: Pakistan Observer

Date:3/23/2011