Sindh restricts early retirement, approves pension reforms

The Sindh government on Friday announced it has restricted the scope of requirements for early retirement and approved pension reforms.

A meeting of the Sindh cabinet took place under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah.

Shah was informed that a total of 493,182 people are employed by the provincial government, who draw a monthly salary of Rs23.9 billion.

The chief minister was also told that the government's total pension bill amounts to Rs13.3 billion every month.

At this, the chief minister said that reforms have to be brought in so the pension bill is reduced. "If things continue this way, in 10 years we will have a pension bill greater than the salary bill."

According to a government spokesperson, various recommendations by the cabinet were deliberated upon during the meeting, after which an approval was accorded to restricting early retirement of Sindh government employees.

For retirement to be approved, a person will now need to have served 25 years and must be at least 55 years old, said the spokesperson.

The cabinet also accorded in-principle approval to amendments in the rules for pension.

Under the new rules, the pension will be limited to immediate family members alone. This will include the wife or wives, the husband and sons below 21. The new rules will extend to all future inductees into government service.

The spokesperson said with the reforms in the pension rules, Rs112.17 billion worth of burden will be reduced.