Retirees demand their pensions in protest

KABUL (TOLOnews): A number of government retirees once again held a protest in Kabul and called for the government to pay their pensions.
The retirees said that they have not been paid for many months as of now.
Mohammad Daud, 68, who had worked for 30 years in the municipality department, said that he is the breadwinner for a family of 13 members.
“We call on the Islamic Emirate to provide us our rights. We have nothing, just honor our rights, we are about to die from starvation,” he said.
“My sons are working as laborers. Each of them has 10 children. One of them feeds me breakfast another feeds me dinner. I sold all of my appliances in the house to buy my medicine,” said Gul Jan, who came to take her husband’s pension.
“I request they give us our rights.” said Najibullah, a retiree.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) said that work on a plan has been shared with the Prime Minister’s Office to facilitate the payment of pensions of retirees.
“The plan, which was formed about the payments of the retirees, has been introduced in the 5th cabinet meeting. The Ministry of Finance now is waiting for the decree of the Prime Minister to act accordingly,” said Ahmad Wali Haqmal, a spokesman for the MoF.
The retirees have staged many demonstrations earlier as well, in which they called on the government to pay their pensions.