Business Desk 
Jul 08, 2025
The federal government has formally rescinded its earlier intention to cap board meeting fees for bureaucrats at Rs1 million a year, citing widespread disregard for the policy across various departments and public-sector boards.
The decision to revoke the cap was communicated by the Finance Division after the Cabinet Division issued a notice dated June 22, 2025. The cap was a policy established in June 2024 by former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
Notably, the purpose was to limit top bureaucrats from being paid huge sums of money, particularly from multiple board appointments. All officials who received sizes above Rs1 million per annum from board meetings were to inform the Finance Division to return the 'excess' amount to the national treasury.
Ultimately, the initiative was met with resistance, and government officers continue to take their total payments without appropriate deductions. According to the officials, some entities like PARCO and PTCL can offer as much as Rs1.4 million for a single meeting, with other boards ranging from Rs100,000 to RS250,000 per meeting.
Moreover, the finance ministry also withdrew its original memorandum enforcing the cap, declaring the policy null and void ab initio, meaning it would be treated as though it never existed.
