Equal perks for civil officers
ACCORDING to a news report, the Public Accounts Committee has advised the establishment division to revisit the policy of plot allotment to federal secretaries/BPS-22 officers on retirement.
It would be pertinent to mention here that a general or a lieutenant-general or an equal rank navy/air force officer not only gets a number of plots, houses, apartments during his/her tenure, but acres of (fertile) land along with tons of other privileges as well at the time of retirement.
However, the PAC, not even in its dreams, would ever dare to confer the same advice to the ministry of defence/GHQ. Or, would it? If the PAC cannot, then it also does not have any legal and moral obligation to bash civil service officers.
Also, I would request the Chief Justice to take suo motu notice of the existence of such anomalies of pre-and post-retirement perks between civilian and armed forces officers.
I request him to ensure that either award the same privileges to civil officers or bring armed forces officers’ perks at par with their civilian counterparts.
S.S.F. QURESHI
Islamabad
It is high time to deliver equality to all, as per the dreams of the founders of Pakistan. Till now some of us are more equal than the others.
Justified and understandable…… The times are changing!!
None of them (civilian or the army officers) deserve to get these plots. If at all necessary, one plot post retirement should be good enough as these officers (including the “honest” ones) already get the benefit of “buying” plots at concessional, off-market rates during their tenures in service; the corrupt ones make additional fortunes. I am curious to know if our so-called “benchmark” countries like India or Bangladesh have such practices for their civilian and army officers.
Faisal Sahib : In India as far civilian officers are concerned they get one plot in a housing society .Same is true for defense personnel. But never heard of agricultural land.
This certainly does not happen in Australia. Here, after a qualifying period of service, defence personnel are eligible for a small subsidy to assist them with their home loan repayments. Full market price is paid for the property, and the subsidy is only for one property. Why should the military in Pakistan be allowed to buy multiple plots at a discounted rate? Only one plot should be allowed, as their home. What happens when the land runs out?