Too little, too late - Will the government never learn?

PROPER administration is as much about maintaining an image as it is about delivering the goods, and Pakistan Railways has failed badly on both counts. Mismanagement and alleged corruption have reduced the PR to a shadow of its former self. But even for an enterprise as bogged down in difficulties as the railways, the treatment suffered by PR pensioners in Lahore was shocking.

Elderly people gathered outside the National Bank`s Mughalpura branch on Tuesday to collect their long-delayed dues.

Men and women jostled to gain access to the single window to collect tokens.

Despite a long wait of several hours, many pensioners failed to get their money and were forced to spend the night on the premises hoping to get paid the next day. Wednesday proved more of a nightmare. Desperate senior citizens, many of whom had not been paid for as long as four months, waited their turn in thescorching sun. No arrangements had been made for their comfort by either thePRorthe bank.There was not even sufficient bank staff to attend to matters, even after one pensioner died and two others fainted.

It was in the afternoon that the bank announced it would remain open until all the cases had been served, while in the evening it said that `allout efforts` were being made to facilitate the PR pensioners. Compensation for the deceased pensioner`s heirs has been announced. Islamabad too has been galvanised, with President Zardari ordering an inquiry. All this, however, is a case of too little, too late. Given that the decision to release the pensions had been made earlier, we should have seen greater efforts at ensuring that the retired employees were paid in a hassle-free manner. Instead, insults were heaped on the pensioners` woes.

Will the government never learn?