The Finance Ministry has informed that Rs11.47 billion have been received in the Chief Justice and Prime Minister Dam Fund account of the government by July 2023, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Presenting the details of the cash collected and its use under the Chief Justice, Prime Minister Dam Fund during the Senate session held on Friday, Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar said that Rs11.47 billion have been received by 26 July 2023.

She said that Rs6.29 billion was obtained in the form of government investment, by virtue of which the total value of the dam fund became Rs17.86 billion. She further said that no funds were taken from the account opened for the dam funds.

During the question hour session in the upper house, Senator Dr Dinesh Kumar said that he has heard that the salary of the Governor of State Bank is Rs4 million.

Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar said that the State Bank is a corporate body whose board of governors deals with the bank’s affairs.

Palwesha Khan rued that the salary of a senator is Rs140,000. She wondered what great work the SBP governor performs that he is getting Rs4 million in salary.

The lawmaker sardonically said that the SBP governor only begs from the International Monetary Fund.

The finance minister said that the State Bank had introduced a policy asking its employees if they agreed to let go of their pensions, their salaries would be raised. The SBP introduced this policy because its pension liabilities were increasing, Dr Shamshad Akhtar said adding that the salary structure of the central bank is always very different all across the world.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmed said that in Islamabad, government offices and residences are provided with free electricity worth Rs10 billion annually.

The finance minister assured that her ministry would send notices to the secretaries of all ministries asking them to control their electricity expenditure.

Senator Behramand Tangi raised the point that the salary of a Supreme Court driver is even double than the remuneration of a lawmaker.

The Senate Chairman said that he would send this matter to the Law Ministry for deliberation.

Reporter Usman Khan