No more pension raise for retired government employees in Punjab

LAHORE: The Punjab government has abolished the annual pension raise for retired government employees with immediate effect.

The Finance Department has announced changes affecting three categories of pensioners, according to a notification issued recently.

The notification states that the annual pension increment for retired government employees of Punjab will be discontinued starting December 2, 2024. The Secretary of Finance has instructed all administrative secretaries and department heads to ensure the implementation of this decision.

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Additionally, the annual pension increases outlined in paragraph one of the Finance Department’s 2015 notification and paragraph two of its 2011 notification have also been halted. This decision impacts a significant number of retired government employees in Punjab who were previously entitled to annual increments.

On September 11, the Ministry of Finance issued a separate notification introducing three key amendments to pension rules. Under the revised rules, family pensions will now be limited to 10 years. In case of a pensioner’s death, only legal heirs will qualify to receive the pension.

The notification further specifies that a deceased pensioner’s spouse will continue receiving the pension for up to 10 years. However, if a deceased pensioner has a disabled child, they will be entitled to receive the pension for life.