Islamabad, Feb 17: Senior officials from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) have recently awarded themselves salary increases that could reach up to four times their previous earnings, all without receiving the necessary approval from the federal cabinet. The NEPRA Chairman now earns Rs. 3.25 million per month, while the members’ pay has been raised to Rs. 2.95 million, surpassing the salaries of superior court judges.
This substantial pay hike includes a basic salary increase from Rs. 700,000 to Rs. 773,000, along with a regulatory allowance that has risen from Rs. 631,000 to Rs. 700,000. Furthermore, ad hoc reliefs totaling over Rs. 1.9 million for the years 2021-2024 have also been added to their compensation. Additional benefits include house rent allowances ranging from Rs. 176,000 to Rs. 206,000, car monetization at Rs. 96,000, and utilities benefits from Rs. 32,000 to Rs. 35,000, as reported by Dawn.
Read More:
Pakistan’s Renewable Energy Boom to Unlock Billions in Funds
While the NEPRA Act of 1997 mandates federal government approval for such salary revisions, the increases were implemented without following this required procedure. This decision has intensified the salary discrepancies between various regulatory bodies. In contrast, other NEPRA staff and officials from different regulatory authorities continue to follow the Management Position (MP) scale set by the Finance Ministry, highlighting the growing disparity within the sector.
The significant and controversial pay rise has sparked debates over accountability and fairness in government regulatory agencies. Critics argue that such decisions, made without the proper approval process, undermine transparency and could potentially create an environment of inequality among public service workers. This development underscores the need for greater scrutiny and regulation of salary adjustments within government institutions.
