NEPRA Faces Audit Over Pay Raises

The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Tuesday directed that a performance audit of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) be carried out and referred the regulator's unauthorised executive salary increases to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), after officials revealed that pay and allowance hikes had been granted without obtaining mandatory federal government approval.

According to a media report, the committee, chaired by Senator Rana Mahmood Ul Hassan, reached the decision during a meeting convened to review NEPRA's administrative performance, telecom regulation, circular debt, and matters related to Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

A Cabinet Division official informed the committee that NEPRA had increased salaries and allowances for its Chairman, Members, senior executives and contract-based officers without securing prior approval from the federal government, violating the legal framework governing the authority.

Committee members observed that these increases were implemented despite NEPRA's 2018 proposal for revised market-based compensation still awaiting government approval.

Lawmakers also expressed concern that NEPRA had shown reluctance to undergo a performance audit by the Auditor General of Pakistan, prompting the committee to formally order that the audit be conducted.

The meeting was attended by Senators Mohammed Abdul Qadir and Aimal Wali Khan, while Senators Saleem Mandviwalla and Amir Waliuddin Chishti joined virtually. Senators Shahadat Awan and Saifullah Abro participated as movers of agenda items, whereas Senators Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan and Dost Ali Jeesar attended as special invitees.