NA body seeks details about honorarium paid to govt employees    

• The officials of some departments assured the committee that they would pay honorarium to the employees.
• Minister for Economic Affairs Hamad Azhar, in his budget speech, had announced payment of honorarium equivalent to three basic salaries to the employees.

ISLAMABAD: The Sub-committee of National Assembly's Standing Committee on Government Assurances Friday directed the Finance Division to present details of payment of honorarium promised to the employees of various departments, who performed duty during the budget sessions of 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Minister for Economic Affairs Hamad Azhar, in his budget speech, had announced payment of honorarium equivalent to three basic salaries to the employees, who worked at the parliament during the 2019-20 budget session.

Likewise, some departments have not paid honorarium equivalent to five basic salaries announced for the 2018-19 budget by the then finance minister Miftah Ismael.

The committee had summoned senior officials of the departments, including Capital Development Authority, Islamabad Capital Police, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO), Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Railways, National Assembly and Senate secretariats, ministries of Parliamentary Affairs and Finance Division, and other departments under the Ministry of Information, banks and others regarding payment of honorarium to their employees deployed during the budget session.

The IESCO chief executive officer informed the committee that it was difficult for them to pay honorarium to the company employees deployed at the parliament as other staff would also demand the same.

The officials of some departments assured the committee that they would pay honorarium to the employees.

It summoned the secretary information on November 5 regarding non-payment of honorarium to the employees of attached departments of information ministry.