Nepra officials jack up their pay by 220%, bypassing govt’s approval
1. Salary hike, ranging from Rs2 million to Rs2.2 million, was made without following the mandatory protocol
NEPRA Officials Grant Themselves Massive Salary Hike Without Approval
ISLAMABAD: In a blatant misuse of authority, the chairman and members of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) have granted themselves a staggering 220% salary increase without securing approval from relevant authorities, including the federal cabinet, sources told Geo News.
According to NEPRA insiders, the salary hike—ranging from Rs2 million to Rs2.2 million—was implemented without following the required protocol. In some instances, six-figure salaries were inflated to seven-digit amounts under the guise of ad-hoc relief and regulatory allowance, sources disclosed.
A revised notification from October 2023 revealed that the total salary, including benefits, had now reached up to Rs1 million. However, the most substantial increase went to the NEPRA chairman, whose salary has soared to Rs3.2 million, while the four members' salaries have been boosted to Rs2.9 million.
Former Chairman Speaks Out
Speaking to Geo News, former NEPRA chairman Taufeeq H. Farooqi revealed that during his tenure, his monthly salary, including allowances and perks, was Rs790,000, while NEPRA members earned approximately Rs740,000. He emphasized that only the federal cabinet has the authority to approve salary increments for top NEPRA officials, which was not followed in this case.
Violation of the NEPRA Act
The salary, perks, and benefits of NEPRA’s chairman and members are explicitly outlined in Section 8 of the NEPRA Act, 1997. The law mandates that any changes to their salaries must be approved by the federal government—a step that was bypassed.
While the Act states that salaries should reflect the specialized nature of the work and remain competitive with private sector pay, most NEPRA officials are retired government bureaucrats, whose last drawn salaries before retirement ranged between Rs600,000 and Rs700,000. Currently, the NEPRA chairman and two members from KP and Balochistan are retired government officials, sources confirmed.
The unauthorized pay raise has sparked concerns over financial mismanagement and accountability within the regulatory authority, putting pressure on the government to intervene.
