The Pensioner Bondholders Forum has decided to suspend its planned picketing at the Finance Ministry in light of the government’s resumption of coupon payments on June 27.
The forum had initiated the picketing on June 22 to demand the payment of seven outstanding coupons, which the government has now started to address.
The pensioner bondholders in a statement expressed their appreciation for the government’s commitment and therefore suspended their scheduled protest on June 29.
However, they cautioned that if the government fails to consistently pay the remaining coupons due in July 2023, they will resume their picketing at the Finance Ministry.
The Pensioner Bondholders Forum commenced their protests earlier this year after the government included them in the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
This programme was a prerequisite to secure a $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund. Following pressure from various affected groups, including the pensioner bondholders forum, the government eventually exempted the pensioners from the program.
However, there have been multiple instances of the government defaulting on the payment of matured coupons, leading to the ongoing protests.