Sources revealed to Geo News that the Chairman and members of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) have raised their salaries by a massive 220% without obtaining the required clearance, sparking controversy.
According to Nepra sources, the salary hike, ranging from Rs2 million to Rs2.2 million, was implemented without following the mandatory protocol, which has led to the ongoing controversy.
In some cases, six-figure salaries were increased to seven digits under the headings of ad-hoc relief and regulatory allowance, without seeking approval from the federal cabinet.
As per a revised notification from October 2023, the total salary, including all benefits, has now reached up to Rs1 million.
The biggest hike, however, was in the already hefty salary of the Nepra chairman, which has now crossed Rs3.2 million, while the remunerations of the four members have been raised to Rs2.9 million.
Former Nepra chairman, Taufeeq H Farooqi, speaking to Geo News, revealed that his monthly salary, including all allowances, perks, and privileges, was Rs790,000.
Farooqi, who served as chairman of the regulatory body until August 2023, pointed out that only the federal cabinet had the authority to approve salary hikes for top Nepra officials. He noted that during his tenure, members’ salaries were around Rs740,000.
It is important to note that the salary, perks, and benefits for the chairman and members of Nepra are defined in Section 8 of the Nepra Act, 1997.
The law stipulates that these top officials will receive a salary and allowances determined by the authority, with approval from the federal government, but in this case, the decisions were made without such approval.
The act also states that the salaries should reflect the specialized nature of their work and be competitive with private sector pay.
Most Nepra chairpersons and members are retired government officials, with their last salaries before retirement ranging from Rs600,000 to Rs700,000.
Currently, the Nepra chairman and two members from KP and Balochistan are retired bureaucrats, according to sources.
