The Supreme Court of Pakistan issued a directive on Wednesday requiring Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to clear pension arrears owed to a former employee spanning 24 years. The case was heard by a three-member bench led by Justice Shahid Waheed.
The petition was filed by Mustafa Ansari, a retired PIA employee who retired under a specific scheme in 2002. During the hearing, Ansari’s counsel highlighted that while other retirees have been receiving their pensions, Ansari’s dues have remained unpaid for over two decades.
Notably, the counsel pointed out that the Sindh High Court had previously ordered the payment of pension and associated privileges, but the accumulated arrears were never disbursed. Justice Shahid Waheed inquired if there was any particular legislation regulating pension payments for employees.
The PIA representative responded that they needed to obtain further instructions regarding the formal procedure for releasing the payments. In a significant development, the Supreme Court mandated that if the pension arrears are not cleared before the next hearing, the Managing Director of PIA must personally appear in court to explain the reasons for the delay.
