The government is set to increase pension of widows of Supreme Court and high court judges from 50 percent to 75 percent by amending the Fifth Schedule of the constitution through the Constitution (20th Amendment) Bill of 2011, which is likely to be approved by the federal cabinet in its next meeting.
The Law Ministry has drafted the bill to amend two separate paragraphs of the Fifth Schedule of the constitution to increase family pension of the widows in question. “The family pension of all Civil Servants including those retired from Defence Estimates was increased from 50% to 75% with effect from July 1, 2010. This increase was not extended to the widows of the Judges of Supreme Court and High Courts as it required amendment in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of Pakistan through Act of Parliament,” said the summary of the Law Ministry attached with the constitutional amendment draft bill, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today.
It stated that the ministry had been receiving reference from the Supreme Court and applications from widows of judges to increase their pension from 50 percent to 75 percent as done in the case of widows of civil servants including those who retired from defence services.
The ministry proposes amendments in Paragraph 4 of the Fifth Schedule [Article 205] “Remuneration and Terms and Conditions of Service of Judges” of the constitution. According to the proposed amendment, the widow of a judge of the Supreme Court shall be entitled to a pension at the following rates: (a) if the judge dies after retirement – 75 percent of the net pension payable to him; or (b) if the judge dies after having rendered not less than three years’ service as a judge and while still serving as such – 75 percent of the pension admissible to him at the minimum rate. Currently the rate for both is 50 percent.
Paragraph 4 regarding high court judges has also been amended under the proposed bill in the same manner and the figure “50” at both places has been substituted with “75”.