The Senate Standing Committee on Commerce has taken serious notice of the skyrocketing salaries and benefits of heads of government departments, with revelations that some officers are drawing over Rs3 million per month along with multiple bonuses and lavish perks.
Lawmakers expressed concern that salaries of certain CEOs have doubled within a short period of time, calling the practice unjustified and in need of urgent reform.
CEOs drawing Rs3m monthly salaries
According to documents presented during the committee meeting, the CEO of the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) currently receives a monthly salary of Rs3 million. Similarly, the chairman of State Life Insurance Corporation draws a monthly gross salary of more than Rs3 million.
Committee Chairperson Anusha Rehman noted that these salaries are often supplemented by 10 bonuses every year, and insisted that such payments should be linked to performance and achievement of targets.
Perks and incentives beyond salaries
Commerce Ministry officials informed the committee that the benefits extended to these officers go far beyond salaries. These include:
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Two official vehicles
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Two security guards
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Club memberships
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500 liters of free petrol per month
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Free family medical facilities
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Group insurance
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Mobile phone and laptop facilities
Anusha Rehman pointed out that in some cases, officers’ salaries doubled within just six months of their appointment, reaching as high as Rs5 million.
Salary hikes over the years
Briefings to the committee revealed a sharp upward trend in executive pay. The salary of the former NICL CEO on January 1, 2022, was Rs1.5 million. This increased to Rs2 million in 2023, Rs2.4 million in 2024, and Rs2.88 million in 2025.
The chairperson stressed that if such high salaries were to be offered, the amounts should be clearly mentioned in job advertisements to ensure transparency.
Lack of rule compliance by key institutions
The committee was informed that several government institutions, including the SECP and the State Bank of Pakistan, are not following the rules regarding executive pay. Instead, they are approving salary hikes through their own boards without oversight.
Calling the heavy salaries and benefits “incomprehensible,” Anusha Rehman emphasized the need for amendments in the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Act to prevent such unchecked increases.
Calls for reforms and accountability
Commerce Secretary Jawad Pal told the committee that his reservations on the matter were already part of the official record. He suggested that advertisements for government posts should include a three-year framework of salaries to avoid confusion.
Committee members stressed that job requirements and officer qualifications must align with salaries, urging reforms to bring accountability and consistency across state-owned entities.
The Ministry of Commerce presented details of the salaries and benefits of officers from eight subsidiary institutions, highlighting the scale of the issue.
