Senate panel presses for staff honorariums

ISLAMABAD: The payment of special honorariums equivalent to five months’ salaries to various government and parliamentary employees on account of the annual budget continues to be the subject of lobbying and political and bureaucratic influence.

The issue came up for discussion at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue amid reports of undue favours in expanding the list of beneficiary employees of the Ministry of National Health Services.

The Senate panel also asserted its authority over payments to the staff of the upper house of parliament, directing that the payments be made within a week.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and officials of the Accountant General of Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) were non-committal about making the honorarium payments to Senate staff without first obtaining legal opinion.

Orders AGPR to clear payments within a week

Orders AGPR to clear payments within a week

However, the Senate panel insisted that the upper house enjoyed financial autonomy in determining its financial matters.

The list of Planning Commission employees eligible for similar annual honorariums at the time of the federal budget has also separately caused a rift........

© Dawn Business