ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are to seek approval of executive allowance for their officers like other ministries, well-informed sources told Business Recorder.
The issue of disparity in executive allowance was raised by the Secretary of Commerce and Acting Secretary Foreign Affairs at a recent meeting of Secretaries Committee.
During discussion, Secretary Cabinet, Sardar Ahmed Sukhera apprised the new members of the Secretaries’ Committee that the forum had been actively working towards addressing the issues faced by civil servants. The Secretaries’ Committee identified two core problems due to which quality human resource was not attracted towards working in the Federal Secretariat, ie, disparity in pays and the issue of accommodation in the Federal Capital. The issue of executive allowance to the officers in BS-17 to 22 to reduce the disparity in pays between Federal and Provincial Secretariats has been resolved in this budget but the housing problem still awaits recommendations of the Sub Committee.
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The Secretary Cabinet commended the efforts of the Secretaries’ Committee and Hameed Yaqub, Finance Secretary, in addressing the issue of disparity.
The Acting Secretary Foreign Affairs highlighted that the officers of the foreign Affairs Division were not receiving executive allowance despite being part of the Federal Secretariat. Their pays were competitive during their postings abroad but disparity was present while serving at the Headquarters.
The Secretary Commerce added that the officers of Commerce and Trade Group posted in the Ministry were also not getting the executive allowance and, therefore, preferred to be posted in the Organisations under the ministry where pays were much higher. The Secretary Cabinet suggested that the issue and any other item/issue could be brought as an agenda in the Secretaries’ Committee with its consent and suggested to the secretaries concerned to furnish working papers for such issues.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022