Sir: The federal budget for financial year 2018-19 is being presented by the incumbent federal government on April 27 and the budgetary proposals have as such also been finalised by the official quarters. Pretty large number of retired employees spread all over the country have been failing to understand as to why every succeeding government treats them equally with the serving government servants while increasing salaries and pensions at the presentation of every budget. The serving government employees besides their good salaries also enjoy other perks and privileges such as government residences or house rent, medical facilities etc. Whereas the pensioners only have their pension to rely upon besides medical facilities if at all they are entitled to after retirement. It is matter of bitter record that the PPP government had been increasing pension by at least 20 per cent every year whereas the PML(N) government has somehow remained stuck up to just 10 per cent increase in the salaries and pensions of the in-service and retired public servants. How a serving employee and a retired employee can be treated at par when it comes to increase in salary and in pension at the presentation of the federal budget? In short, this is to urge the federal government to ensure substantial increase in pension of the retired employees minimum in the ration of 20 to 25 per cent to enable them to cope with the ever-increasing price hike of essential articles for somewhat respectable living. Anything less than 20 to 25 per cent increase in the pension will be just like peanuts and as such not acceptable at all to the pensioners, please. AAMER NAJMEE Lahore Published in Daily Times, April 20th 2018.