ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has constituted a four-member panel on conversion of the pay scale from MP-1 scale to last pay drawn of Chairman and MP-II to MP-1 scale of members of Nepra appellate tribunal, official sources told Business Recorder.

The caretaker Prime Minister took this decision on a proposal of Ministry of Law and Justice in which the latter had proposed changes in package of Chairman and Members of Nepra Appellate Tribunal.

Ministry of Law and Justice explained that Nepra Appellate Tribunal, Islamabad was established under Section 12A of the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power Act. 1997 (Nepra Act), for the whole country, vide Law & Justice Division’s notification of May 19, 2020.

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The Tribunal comprises a Chairman and two Members, i.e., Member (Finance) and Member (Electricity). The posts of Chairman and Member (Electricity) and Member (Finance) were sanctioned in MP- I and MP-II, respectively by the Establishment and Finance Divisions.

Ministry of Law and Justice argued that currently it is confronted with a situation wherein compensations of the Chairman and Members are not commensurate with their qualifications enabling them to carry on their services under the existing terms and conditions, pay packages, perks and privileges, etc.

Accordingly, they are bound to be attracted to other job opportunities with lucrative pay package leaving the composition and functioning of Nepra Appellate Tribunal in persistent jeopardy.

In terms of the Act nominations were required to be provided by governments of Sindh and Balochistan for appointment of Member (Finance) and Member (Electricity), respectively for which Law and Justice Division approached both the governments.

Earlier, on receipt of nomination form government of Sindh Zeeshan Shahid was notified with the approval of the Federal Cabinet as Member (Finance) in the Tribunal. However, he refused to join. Subsequently, Syed Zain ul Abdin Shah and Salman Aizad were appointed as Member (Finance) and Member (Electricity), respectively in MP-11 Scale, in the Nepra Appellate Tribunal, Islamabad.

Ministry of Law and Justice further noted that the Chairman and Members of the tribunal have shown their reservations on the existing salary package.

Law Ministry further stated that earlier a committee was constituted by the Prime Minister of the previous government under the chairmanship of SAPM on Finance, to review the current pay structure of existing Appellate Tribunals on the direction of Prime Minister which prepared recommendations on this matter.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023