Raises concerns over proposed salary hikes for senior management
By Our Correspondent
LAHORE – : The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has formally written to Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister, Governor Punjab, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), seeking a detailed performance report of the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT) and clarification regarding a proposal for substantial salary increases for senior officials.
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In the letter, LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad noted that Rs. 200 million had been allocated for PBIT’s operational expenditure in both the Punjab Budget 2025-26 and the previous year’s budget. He highlighted that LCCI had received a draft resolution from PBIT proposing significant increases in the remuneration of top management, including raising the CEO’s monthly salary to Rs. 2 million and increasing the salaries of Director Generals/COO to a range of Rs. 700,000 to Rs. 950,000 per month.
The letter stated that the business community found it concerning that such increases were being proposed from public funds, particularly during challenging economic conditions. LCCI requested a clear justification for the proposed revisions, including performance benchmarks, criteria, and cost-benefit rationale.
Additionally, the chamber sought details of PBIT’s current and past projects to promote investment and trade, along with their outcomes and measurable economic impact. It also called for a comprehensive performance report outlining achievements, sectoral initiatives, and key deliverables since the body’s inception, with a focus on the past two financial years.
Mian Abuzar Shad emphasized in the letter that transparency and accountability in the use of public funds are essential and expressed the expectation that PBIT would address the matter promptly and comprehensively.
On the other hand,efforts were made to contact Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT) on its official number, but no response was received and its stance could not be obtained till the filing of this report.
