HBL Retired Employees Demand 70% Pension and Other Benefits

By Muhammad Shahzad
Lahore, Pakistan
LAHORE: A meeting of the All Pakistan Retired Clerical and Non-Clerical Staff of Habib Bank Limited (HBL) was held at a local hotel in Lahore, where retired employees raised their concerns regarding pension and other post-retirement benefits.
The meeting was attended by Chairman Malik Allah Yar, Iftikhar Khan, Muhammad Khan, Muhammad Tanveer Haider, Shahzad Butt, Anwar Javed, Azeemullah, Saeed Bukhari, Agha Naeem Tahir, Amjad Wark, Malik Saqib, Qazi Nawaz, Malik Azeem and other representatives of retired employees.
The participants referred to relevant judicial rulings and called upon the President of Pakistan, Prime Minister of Pakistan and President of Habib Bank Limited to take immediate steps to address their longstanding grievances.
The retired employees maintained that pension and other employment-related benefits should be determined according to the rules and terms applicable at the time of their recruitment. They argued that subsequent changes in the ownership or status of the institution should not deprive employees of benefits to which they were entitled under the applicable rules.
The participants particularly demanded implementation of what they described as their entitlement to 70 percent pension, EOBI benefits and other allowances, including for employees recruited before HBL’s privatization in 2005.
They also called for the relevant authorities and HBL management to review their demands in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, court decisions and the bank’s governing policies.
Quoting a well-known Hadith, the participants said:
“Pay the labourer his wages before his sweat dries.”