91% of 3,225 Pak PWD employees absorbed as Senate panel reviews salary delays

Salaries of 2,940 out of 3,225 employees of the defunct Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak PWD) are currently being paid after their absorption into various federal departments, officials informed the Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works, according to a news report.

The committee, chaired by Senator Nasir Mehmood, reviewed the progress on the transfer and salary payments of Pak PWD employees following the department’s closure.

According to officials, the 2,940 employees receiving salaries account for 91.1% of the total workforce. These employees have been absorbed across several federal institutions after the restructuring of Pak PWD.

The largest number of employees, 1,493, has been accommodated in the Capital Development Authority, followed by 970 in the Estate Office. Other departments paying salaries include the Ministry of Defence with 95 employees, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with 60 employees, the Federal Board of Revenue with 116 employees, the National Accountability Bureau with 35 employees, the Controller General of Accounts with 90 employees, the Intelligence Bureau with 80 employees and the Federal Shariat Court with one employee.

The committee was informed that the cases of the remaining employees are still under process.

Around 185 employees, representing 5.8% of the total workforce, fall into a category where the takeover process by departments has been completed but salary payments are still being processed.

This group includes 40 employees in the Federal Board of Revenue, 49 under the Pakistan Meteorological Department in the Ministry of Defence, 30 in the Cabinet Division and 66 employees under Border Health Services, including Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and the National Institute of Child Health in Karachi. These departments have approached the Finance Division for allocation of funds in the current fiscal year.

Another 30 employees, accounting for 0.9% of the total staff, are in cases where the transfer process is in its final stage. These include 20 employees under the Auditor General of Pakistan and 10 under the Intelligence Bureau.

During the meeting, the committee reviewed compliance reports from several ministries regarding directives issued earlier for the absorption of Pak PWD maintenance staff and payment of salaries, including arrears for the past seven months. The directives were issued following a federal cabinet decision notified by the Ministry of Housing and Works on September 6, 2024.

Departments whose compliance was reviewed included the Ministry of Interior (Civil Defence), Ministry of Planning, Auditor General of Pakistan, Intelligence Bureau, Federal Investigation Agency, Federal Board of Revenue, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi, Border Health Services Pakistan Karachi and the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination.

Senator Nasir Mehmood said the committee’s objective was to ensure that the salaries of the affected employees are released without further delay. He added that the committee wanted the matter resolved before the upcoming Eid so that workers do not face financial hardship due to administrative changes.