In response to recent leaks regarding unauthorized salary hikes for its chairman and members, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has imposed strict measures on the circulation of official records and files, Dawn reported.
The move includes punitive action against certain staff members and limits on access to sensitive documents, raising concerns about transparency in the regulator’s decision-making process.
According to the report, a five-member Nepra board, consisting of four provincial members and a chairman, has decided to restrict access to official meeting minutes and working papers.
As per the new order, only the authority and the director of consumer and industry (C&I) will have access to signed minutes, and the IT department will monitor all downloads to prevent potential misuse.
Additionally, working papers and annexures will only be available to authorized personnel via the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system, with sensitive documents being password-protected.
In response to the leak about the controversial salary increases, Nepra has directed its IT department to revoke general access to the ECM and limit download permissions for working papers to designated professionals. The heads of departments have been instructed to submit both digital and physical copies of working papers directly to the C&I director.
The report also said that Nepra has taken disciplinary action against staff suspected of leaking the documents regarding the unauthorised pay raises.
The government recently confirmed that Nepra’s chairman and members had increased their salaries earlier this year without prior approval from the federal cabinet. According to reports, the chairman’s salary now exceeds Rs3.247 million, and the members’ salaries have risen to Rs2.943 million.
On February 18, Cabinet Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal told a Senate panel that Nepra had been asked to provide justifications for the salary hike, as it violated Section 8 of the Nepra Act.
