Zardari raises pensions for lawyers and judges

ddISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday sign an order increasing pension payback for the spouses of dead judges and retired judges of high courts.

‘Under the new order the spouse of a retire or dead judge shall be entitled, at government cost, to a driver or an orderly; 800 free local telephone calls per month; 800 units of electrical energy per month; 25HM3 of gas per month; free supply of water and 150 litres of petrol per month. All these benefits shall be tax free,’ Presidential Spokesman If during service a judge dies or has died before the commencement of this order, the spouse shall also be entitled to these benefits and perquisites, the order said.

However, if the retired judge is re-employed with the federal or provincial government the facilities and benefits under this order shall be suspended.

The order said a judge availing these facilities on retirement must perform the work of arbitration involving government interest if assigned to him and cannot charge a fee.

The order was issued on the advice of the Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and in exercise of the powers conferred on the president by the 5th Schedule of the Constitution. The order that comes into force with immediate effect, amends the high court judges (Leave, Pension and Privileges) Order, 1977.

Housing sector:

In a separate meeting with a delegation of Gulf General Investment Company (GGICO), a UAE based construction company, President Zardari said local and foreign investors could invest in housing sector of Pakistan particularly for displaced people of Malakand and Swat.

‘The investment policy of Pakistan is investors friendly and aims at encouraging foreign investment through fair treatment to both local and foreign investors,’ he said.
The president said the government has already launched a housing scheme for the poor, the general public and government employees to meet the growing demand of housing in the country.

Mr. Abdulla Juma Al Sari, the head of the GGICO said the firm was interested to invest in housing sector of Pakistan particularly pre-fabricated housing units for the displaced people and affordable housing in the major urban areas.

Agriculture sector:

In another meeting with a delegation of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), president Zardari said agricultural transformation along with adequate power generation were two critical areas for overcoming Pakistan’s economic problems and called for a massive restructuring of the bank as an important element of agricultural transformation.

‘Agriculture sector in Pakistan was confronting problems of low yield, water scarcity, soil degradation and poor use of inputs like fertilizers, pesticides besides credit problems faced by small farmers.

The president said he would advise the government to make ZTBL an independent and autonomous body so that it could address the challenges of revamping. ‘The government should also consider setting up a National Agriculture Transformation Fund for massively injecting new technologies into this vital sector of national economy,’ he said.

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