Hundreds of government employees—a majority of whom misused their authority for illegal financial gain — deposited a total sum of Rs3.04 billion with the national exchequer under the National Accountability Bureau’s plea bargain agreements.
In response to a question of a lawmaker, Law and Justice Minister Zahid Hamid told the house that as many as 290 government employees, involved in corruption, had deposited a total of Rs3.04 billion with the national exchequer.
The minister however, did not state the amount of money that had been embezzled by the government employees.
Interestingly, many high-cadre government employees and extremely low scale government employees like Patwaris and clerks had availed plea bargain deals and deposited billions to the exchequer.
According to the document available with The Express Tribune, ex-chairman of Pakistan Steel Mills, Usman Farooqui made two massive plea bargain pacts with the NAB—one amounting to Rs301 million while the other was of Rs52 million. Farooqui’s Rs301 million plea bargain pact is the biggest deal in this context so far. He was found charged with corruption and of accumulating wealth in the shape of saving certificates.
A Patwari of Revenue Department (Lahore region) Asghar Ali made a plea bargain deal with NAB and deposited Rs65 million while another Patwari of the same region, Liaquat Ali Gulzar, also deposited Rs11 million under the same head.
Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Chief Central of Excise Department (Lahore Region), found guilty of owning assets beyond his means, returned Rs142 million to the government.
Ex-DIG Punjab prison Ghulam Sarwar Lalwani, who was charged for having assets beyond his means cut a Rs1.2 million deal with the NAB. Likewise Ghazanfar Iqbal Aujla, ex official of Wapda Housing Society in the region of Lahore, made a deal and paid NAB Rs16 million.
Multan’s ex-commissioner income tax Tahir Lateef Sheikh struck a deal of plea bargain amounting to Rs31 million while ex-divisional account officer of Pakistan Railways Umer Haq deposited Rs25 million.
Feroz Ahmed Khan, ex-superintendent FBR (Lahore region), who was facing the charges of misuse of the authority deposited Rs20 million while ex XEN Zila Council Lahore, Tariq Saeed deposited Rs13 million.
Lieutenant General (retd) Zahid Akbar Khan who was ex-chairman of Wapda Lahore on account of having assets beyond his means deposited Rs199 million under the plea bargain scheme.
In the Karachi region, driver at the Works and Services department Mukhtiar Ali Kori deposited Rs1.9 million.
Nadeem Ahmed, deputy director Sindh Building Control Authority who was involved in china cutting and land grabbing struck deal of Rs7.4 million while head constable, District Sukkar, Muhammad Rafiq made the bargain deal of Rs18.8 million.
Electric inspector, Irrigation Department, Sher Adam (K-P) made a bargain deal of Rs11 million while ex-secretary Food Department (K-P), Javed Alam Khanzada deposited Rs65 million.
General Manager PTCL (K-P), Saeed Wazir deposited Rs20 million, Tariq Tanveer, Superintendent Customs Department (K-P) deposited Rs25 million, ex-secretary Workers Welfare Board (K-P) Javed Anwar deposited Rs20 million.A wide gulf in terms of salaries and perks and privileges for various government departments has sparked grave anxiety among those state employees who feel they are treated with sheer discrimination.
Statistics suggest a vast disparity between salaries and incentives for employees of the departments working under the federal government, which is termed astonishing. This could not only have adverse implications for the performance of certain government departments, but it may also trigger socio-economic problems.
The federal government over the years has been increasing the salaries and perks and privileges of staff of certain departments, but at the same time, others continue to remain neglected with only a nominal pay raise.
The most privileged ones are working in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, President House, Prime Minister Secretariat, Benazir Income Support Programme, Federal Board of Revenue, National Accountability Bureau, National Highway Authority (NHA), Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and others.
The salaries and allowances for staff of these departments are 50-300% higher than employees of other departments, particularly those that are working in the federal secretariat.
The least-paid employees are working in 42 federal ministries including the Finance Division that is responsible for preparing the budget for all federal departments.
Other low-paid departments and ministries include the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Planning Commission, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Ministry of States and Frontier Regions, Ministry of Water and Power, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Ministry of Food Security and Research, Ministry of Housing and Works, Cabinet Division, etc.
The highest-paid employees belong to the Supreme Court, High Court, Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, Federal Shariat Court and Federal Judicial Academy that are getting at least 300% higher pay than staff of the federal secretariat.
Likewise, staff of the President Secretariat and Prime Minister Secretariat is receiving 115% higher salaries than the federal secretariat employees.
The prime minister’s personal staff is also getting 115% higher pay whereas employees of the Federal Investigation Agency, NHA, National Motorway Police and Intelligence Bureau have 100% higher salaries.
The situation is no different for the regulatory bodies including Nepra, Ogra and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) where employees are receiving 150% more pay.
Not only this, there is also disparity within different departments of the same ministry.
For instance, the TCP, which works under the Ministry of Commerce, gives 150% more pay than that for staff of the ministry itself.
Social challenges
Owing to the attractive packages for these state institutions, officers in other departments, including the efficient ones, make every effort to switch jobs and find a better place at all cost. This not only leads to ethical and social challenges, but also affects the performance of staff in the less-privileged departments.
Officers of institutions like the Press Information Department are seeking to get deputed in other institutions or foreign missions to improve their lives.
These efforts bear fruit for those officers that have strong influence and connections, who manage to get deputed in attractive institutions. However, those who have no strong backing are left frustrated.
It seems a race is going on in Islamabad to join one of the attractive departments and for the purpose the officers adopt both ethical and unethical ways including giving bribe and avoiding merit.
Economists argue that there is no question of giving some employees such high salaries while ignoring the others. They believe a balance should be created between salaries and perks and privileges of the government employees of varying departments.
Otherwise, the gulf will widen and it will further fuel frustration among the low-paid employees, who will be forced to resort to unfair means to meet their needs.
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