Islamabad: Official documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have revealed that several retired Pakistani officers and their families living abroad are receiving pensions in foreign currency. According to the records, pensions equivalent to approximately Rs340 million were paid to these pensioners over the past five years.
Retired Officers Living Abroad Receive Pension Payments
According to the documents, all the retired officers or their families receiving pensions in foreign currency are residing abroad. The pensioners include individuals living in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and various European countries.
According to Islamabad-based investigative journalist Zahid Gishkori, the pension payments are made through Pakistani embassies and diplomatic missions. The records show that payments were made in foreign currencies in different countries, with their value in Pakistani rupees varying according to exchange rates.
11 Pensioners in Washington Paid Rs135 Million
The highest amount recorded in the documents was paid to pensioners based in Washington.
According to the records, 11 officers in Washington received pensions equivalent to approximately Rs135 million over the past five years.
10 Officers in New York Received Rs100 Million
The documents show that 10 retired officers in New York received pensions equivalent to around Rs100 million during the same five-year period.
The payments were also processed through the Pakistani diplomatic mission.
Four Pensioners in Australia Received Rs25 Million
According to official records, four officers residing in Australia received pensions equivalent to approximately Rs25 million over the past five years.
Pension Payments Made in Other Countries
The documents also mention eight pensioners residing in other countries, who collectively received pensions equivalent to approximately Rs30 million.
These pensioners are reportedly living in countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and various European nations.
Many Officers Retired Two or Three Decades Ago
According to the documents, several of the pension recipients retired from government service 20 or 30 years ago.
Despite living abroad, their pension payments have continued. However, the available records do not provide complete details regarding the current eligibility of every individual or the specific legal conditions governing their pension payments.
Family of Former Ambassador Allah Khan Also on the List
The family of former ambassador Allah Khan is also among those receiving pensions in foreign currency.
According to the documents, pension payments are being made to his family while residing abroad.
Families of Former Cypher Officers Also Receiving Pensions
The official records also include the families of former cypher officers Najma Abida and Quresha Begum.
According to the documents, both families are receiving pensions in dollars while living abroad.
Nasima Yunus’s Family Receives Pension in Ottawa
The documents show that the family of Nasima Yunus receives pension payments in Ottawa.
The records also indicate that Pakistani diplomatic missions continue to facilitate pension payments to eligible recipients living abroad.
Shamim Khalid and Allah Rahim Also Listed
Former Director General Ms. Shamim Khalid is also listed among those receiving a pension in foreign currency in Washington.
Similarly, former Deputy AGP Allah Rahim is receiving pension payments in New York.
Other Names Included in the Records
Other individuals named in the documents include Salman Noor, Ms. Liaqat, Ijaz Ahmad, Muhammad Ramadan, Shehreen Rahmatullah and Ms. Aini Shafqat.
Rs340 Million Paid Over Five Years
According to documents obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, approximately Rs340 million in pensions equivalent to Pakistani currency was paid to these pensioners living abroad over the past five years.
However, because exchange rates fluctuate over time, the Pakistani rupee value of the foreign currency actually paid may vary depending on the exchange rate applicable at the time of each payment.
Questions Raised Over Rules Governing Foreign-Currency Pension Payments
The emergence of the official records has raised questions about the rules and regulations governing pension payments in foreign currency to retired government officers and their families permanently residing abroad.
Key questions include the legal and administrative basis for such payments, the eligibility criteria for pensioners living overseas and the mechanism through which Pakistani diplomatic missions process these payments.
While the documents establish that pension payments were made to individuals living abroad, determining whether each payment was legally justified would require a review of the relevant pension rules, individual eligibility and approval records.
For now, the documents establish that over the past five years, multiple retired Pakistani officers and their families living abroad have received pension payments in foreign currency through Pakistani diplomatic missions.
