The Foreign Ministry has told parliament that 33 retired senior government officials who have relocated abroad are receiving their pensions directly in foreign currency, at an annual cost of Rs342.1 million to the national exchequer.
According to documents presented in parliament and reported by a private television channel, the officials retired from various government departments before moving overseas, where they now receive substantial pension payments converted into the currency of their country of residence rather than in Pakistani rupees.
The Foreign Ministry acknowledged that a separate group of retired officials living in multiple countries continue to receive their pensions in Pakistani currency.
However, the ministry said it does not maintain complete records of all such officials, creating gaps in the available data on rupee-denominated pension payments to overseas retirees.
The disclosure has drawn criticism at a time when Pakistan is grappling with a broader economic crisis.
Economists say the payment of large sums in foreign currency to retired officials abroad is placing additional strain on the country’s foreign exchange reserves and have called for a review of pension policy to reduce the burden on state finances.
They noted the revelation has reignited debate over financial privileges extended to former bureaucrats.
