NEPRA raises salaries of officials by 300% without cabinet approval

Express Tribune

17-02-2025

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The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has increased the salaries of it senior officials by up to three times.
The increase in salaries was granted cabinet approval, Express News reported.
The NEPRA Chairman's total salary is now Rs 3.25 million, and the salaries of some senior NEPRA officials have reached Rs 2.95 million. The revised compensation package includes a basic salary of Rs773,000.
According to Express News the NEPRA officials approved allowances for themselves based on the judicial allowances of judges, with a regulatory allowance ranging from Rs 631,000 to Rs700,000 per month.
In addition, NEPRA officers have received an ad hoc relief ranging from Rs 587,000 to Rs650,000 for 2024, while for 2023, they were entitled to ad hoc relief ranging from Rs 544,000 to 600,000.
The report also reveals that for 2022, officers will receive a monthly house rent allowance of Rs105,000 to Rs116,000, while for 2021, it will range from Rs 70,000 to Rs77,300 as ad hoc relief.
Other benefits include a utility allowance of Rs 32,000 to Rs35,000 and Rs 96,000 in other allowances. As a result, the total salary package of NEPRA officials has increased from Rs 2.95 million to Rs 3.25 million , surpassing the salaries and benefits of higher court judges.
Sources indicate that NEPRA officials made these changes without government approval. Most members and the chairman of NEPRA are typically retired bureaucrats.
Currently, the NEPRA Chairman and two members from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are retired bureaucrats.
A few days ago, the National Assembly
passed
'The Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendment) Bill, 2025', endorsing a 200% increase in the salaries and benefits of lawmakers.
NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq led the session, where six new bills were also introduced, including those addressing environmental protection and compulsory thalassemia screening. These bills were referred to the relevant Standing Committees for further review.
Under the amendment bill, the salaries and allowances of Parliament members have been made equivalent to those of federal secretaries. The monthly salary and allowances for MNAs and Senators have been set at Rs519,000.
Meanwhile, the recent decision by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has
denied
Karachi's electricity consumers significant relief in their monthly electricity adjustment, drawing strong criticism from the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI).
KCCI President Muhammad Javed Balwani condemned NEPRA's ruling, stating that it deprived Karachi's consumers of much-needed relief. He criticized both NEPRA and K-Electric (KE) for failing to deliver the promised benefits to consumers.