A Senate committee session in Islamabad took an unexpected turn when officials revealed that board members of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited are being paid $8,000 for attending a single board meeting, triggering strong reactions from lawmakers.
The disclosure was made during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications, where senators questioned how such large payments were being made and whether proper oversight existed. According to details shared in the session, the PTCL board includes four government-appointed members, three federal secretaries, and a serving federal minister.
It was confirmed during the meeting that the federal minister on the board is Ahad Cheema, who currently oversees economic affairs. Senators expressed concern that senior government officials were receiving high dollar-based fees in addition to their regular salaries and benefits.
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PTCL’s legal advisor defended the payments, stating that board members do not receive extraordinary perks and are only compensated for attending meetings. However, several committee members rejected this justification, calling the amount excessive and insensitive given the country’s economic conditions.
Senator Saadia Abbasi referred to a government directive issued by the Prime Minister, which caps board meeting fees at Rs1 million. She questioned whether PTCL board members had returned any amount received above this limit to the national treasury. The committee demanded a clear response and supporting records.
Experts present at the session warned that such payments point to a broader issue of weak accountability in the public sector, where officials often draw multiple allowances alongside official salaries. While PTCL maintains that its payments comply with existing rules, senators said the issue has damaged public trust.
The committee called for greater transparency, independent audits, and strict enforcement of federal limits on board remuneration. Lawmakers said restoring confidence would require clear disclosure of payments and full compliance with government policies.
