Sultan issues directive on Emirati retirees

Hajar Khamis, Staff Reporter

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has instructed the Government of Sharjah’s Directorate of Human Resources to study the cases of the emirate’s citizens who have retired from other than its local government and whose pensions are less than Dhs17,500.

The study should be submitted to Sheikh Sultan so that the necessary procedures would be taken to handle their financial situation and make them equal to the Government of Sharjah’s retirees.

The move is based on Sheikh Sultan’s keenness on providing a decent life for all the emirate’s citizens and making them equal.

This was announced by Dr Tariq Sultan Bin Khadim, Member of Sharjah Executive Council and Chairman of Sharjah Directorate of Human Resources, in a telephonic conversation with Mohammed Khalaf, Director General of Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, via the Direct Line programme broadcast live on Sharjah Radio and TV.

“His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah has instructed us in a telephone conversation to conduct a case study for all Sharjah’s retirees from other than Sharjah local government who are paid less than Dhs17,500 per month,” he said.

The Dhs17,500 income represents the lowest income for a citizen to live a decent life in the Emirate of Sharjah, he said, adding that all Sharjah’s retirees provided outstanding services to federal or local entities in the UAE.

“We will conduct a comprehensive study of these cases to obtain full information on the income of these pensioners and the amount monthly disbursed to them from such local funds as the General Pension and Social Security Authority, Abu Dhabi Pension Fund or other funds. This will enable us to calculate the difference between a pensioner’s income and the minimum amount required by him to live a decent life in the Emirate of Sharjah,” he said.

Responding to a query about the delivery of the pension of a deceased female employee to her children, Bin Khadim said: “As per the law, the pension of a deceased woman will be disbursed to her eligible children unless they have a supporter, a father in this case, in which case the pension will not be disbursed to them.”

Recently, in order to support the Sharjah Police, Sheikh Sultan approved 54 civilian jobs at the Sharjah Police Headquarters, for Emirati University and high school graduates from various disciplines.

Major General Saif Al Zari Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of the Sharjah Police, thanked the Ruler of Sharjah for the generous gesture and for his continued support to the efforts of the Sharjah Police, enabling them to undertake their work across various fields.