Public sector companies: 56 CEOs ready to return amounts above salaries, CS tells SC

All the officials working as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in 56 public sector companies in the province were ready to return the amount they had been withdrawing over and above their regular salaries. The Chief Secretary Punjab told Supreme Court on Saturday and added that they required two days to return the amounts. The Chief Justice heading a bench observed that the returned salaries of the company heads would be deposited to the funds established for construction of dams in the country.
The bench was hearing a suo motu case regarding excessive salary structure of the public sector companies' heads. To a court's query, the Chief Secretary stated that Punjab Saaf Pani Company's CEO Captain Muhammad Usman (r) had been drawing Rs 1.3 million on account of monthly salary. At this, the Chief Justice pointed out that even his (CJ's) salary was less than Rs 1.3 million. He summoned CEOs of all the companies today and also directed the government to submit list of the officers drawing salaries more than Rs 300,000 per month from the companies.
The Chief Secretary also told the bench that a list of 346 government officers working in the companies and authorities had been furnished to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He stated that the NAB also sought details beyond the scope of the court's order. The secretary establishment division also submitted a report about the officers of federal and Punjab governments posted in public companies on deputation. However, the Chief Justice expressed dismay over the secretary for not providing the details of the other three provinces and directed him to submit the same.