Panel to take up National Highway Authority chief’s absence with PM
• Senate sub-committee also irked by communications secretary continuously skipping meetings
• Another body expresses concern over high perks received by govt employees serving on PTCL board
ISLAMABAD: The Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Communications on Monday decided to lodge a complaint with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif against the National Highway Authority (NHA) chief executive officer and the communications secretary for consistently not attending the panel’s meetings.
The meeting of the sub-committee was presided over by its convener, Senator Kamil Ali Agha. Senators Zamir Hussain Ghumro and Saifullah Abro also attended the meeting.
The sub-committee observed with grave concern that despite assurances given in the previous meeting, both the NHA CEO and the communications secretary had failed to attend.
The panel expressed serious concern over the continuous and unjustified absence of the officials.
Taking serious notice of the repeated absence of the communications secretary, the sub-committee observed that such conduct amounted to a breach of privilege of the panel and the House, as standing committees functioned as an extension of parliament.
The panel therefore decided to write a letter to the prime minister through the Senate chairman regarding the misconduct and breach of privilege of the sub-committee and the House by the communications secretary.
Perks of govt employees on SOEs’ boards
Another Senate body expressed concern over the high perks received by government employees serving on the boards of state-owned enterprises, including the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL).
The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology sought details of the perks and privileges given to the board members of PTCL.
The panel was informed that PTCL Chairman Zarar Hashim Khan, who is also the incumbent IT and telecom secretary, received $8,000 per board meeting. In addition, Mr Khan was receiving a monthly honorarium of Rs25,000 and was also entitled to a 1,300cc car with a driver provided by the company.
A written response submitted by Zahida Awan, the PTCL secretary, stated that directors of the company’s board received a fee equivalent to $5,000 per meeting attended and $1,000 for each member of the board’s committees.
The committee chairperson, Senator Palwasha Khan, directed the Law Division to brief the panel on the official policy in this regard.
The committee was informed that as the majority of PTCL shares were owned by the state, the government officers serving on the PTCL board included Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul Khawaja and Finance Secretary Imdad Ullah Bosal. The panel was further apprised that the fourth government nominee on the PTCL board was Ahad Cheema, adviser to the prime minister on establishment.
Members of the committee also sought details of board members of Ufone, a subsidiary of PTCL.
Under another agenda item, the committee was briefed on a case involving alleged corruption of Rs15 million per month. A senior official of the FIA’s Anti-Money Laundering Wing said 13 officers in grades 16 to 19 had been convicted in the scandal. Of these, three are on protective bail and two have been granted post-arrest bail, while only Rs1.5 million has been recovered so far.
Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2026
