Budget preparation: NA body asks secretary finance to explain non-payment of honorarium

A sub-committee of National Assembly Standing Committee on Government Assurances has asked the secretary finance to personally appear before the committee and explain non-payment of honorarium to employees who helped in budget preparation. A three-member sub-committee headed by Shahzadi Tiwana met here on Friday to review the implementation of honorarium Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had announced for those employees whose services were hired late hours during the preparation of budget 2017-18.
The meeting was informed that honorarium announced by Finance Minister Dar has been paid to the employees of Finance Division and Capital Development Authority. However, Interior Ministry and state-run news agency's employees have yet to be paid the honorarium despite more than four months have passed since its announcement.
Member of the sub-committee Abdul Majeed was of the view that the honorarium to the employees can also be paid by their own departments and ministries. The committee received briefing from the officials of various departments on payment of honorarium and was informed about preferred treatment to the employees of Prime Minister Office over employees of other ministries and divisions in terms of payment of honorarium.
One honorarium equals to four basic pays was announced for employees of Prime Minister Office in June and payment was made to them immediately whereas employees of some department are still waiting for payment of honorarium. Islamabad Police, one of the attached departments of Ministry of Interior, has urged the committee to help them get release funds from the Finance Division for payment of honorarium to its employees.