In a shocking revelation that exposes deep-rooted rot within Pakistan’s telecom regulator, the Chairman and members of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) have been found to have received Rs. 56 million in illegal allowances over the years — all in blatant violation of official rules.
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The scandal came to light during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) subcommittee meeting, chaired by MNA Malik Amir Dogar, where audit officials presented a damning briefing on PTA’s financial misconduct.
According to the auditors, since 2008, PTA’s top officials — including its Chairman and Members — have pocketed over Rs. 55.6 million in allowances, with Rs. 113 million disbursed in just 2021, completely outside the bounds of legal entitlement.
Illegality Disguised as Policy?: The allowances, auditors clarified, are not permissible under the law for officers serving in MP-I and MP-II grades, yet PTA’s leadership continued to receive them in defiance of regulations. Even more startling, no allowance payments were made between 2011 and 2013, proving that their distribution has been inconsistent and opportunistic.
Despite this, PTA’s Finance Member defended the payouts, citing an opinion from the Ministry of Law, which claimed there was no bar on giving such allowances to MP-scale officers. He also revealed that the Cabinet has recommended amending the PTA Act — an admission that the current law does not permit such payments.
Chairman PTA Pleads Innocence — With a Legal Loophole: Chairman PTA, speaking during the session, insisted that he had consulted audit officials and claimed the allowances were not illegal, citing the Ministry of Law’s stance again. He further stated that the matter is now under parliamentary consideration for legal amendment.
But PAC members were not convinced.
Lawmakers Smell a Cover-Up: Committee Member Riaz Fatyana cut through the bureaucratic justifications, stating that even if a future amendment allows such allowances, it cannot retroactively legalize what was taken in the past. “You can’t rewrite history to cover financial misconduct,” he said.
Committee convener Amir Dogar sharply questioned whether allowances should continue while the legal ambiguity remains unresolved.
Inquiry Ordered, But Will There Be Accountability?: In a final move, the PAC subcommittee ordered the Cabinet Division to complete a full inquiry within one month and submit its findings. But whether this results in actual consequences or becomes yet another chapter in Pakistan’s long book of white-collar impunity remains to be seen.
