Ministry of Finance Awards 24 Crore Rupees to Illegal Officers – Because Why Not?
In a country on the verge of economic collapse, where every penny counts, the Ministry of Finance has somehow managed to find 24 crore rupees to reward illegal officers and staff. Yes, you read that right. Not for their stellar service, but because apparently, when you’re drowning in debt, the most logical thing to do is hand out cash to those who have no business receiving it.
4 Awards in 1 Year – Because 1 Just Wasn’t Enough!
According to the 2023-24 Auditor General’s report, the Ministry of Finance generously dished out not one, not two, but four awards to these illegal employees in a single year. The total amount? A cool 24 crore rupees, given to employees from Grade 1 to 20. It’s almost as if someone in the Finance Ministry was running a “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” scheme for government staff.
Honorariums: The Gift That Keeps On Giving (If You’re On the Inside)
Under the law, federal employees are entitled to an honorarium for special work. But wait—here’s the kicker: the Prime Minister had clearly instructed in 2020 that neither the Finance Division nor the ECC (Economic Coordination Committee) can approve these honorariums. Yet, rules are mere suggestions in Pakistan, right? The Ministry, instead of playing by the book, decided to double down and award four gratuities to employees in one year. Because, when you’re heading toward bankruptcy, who needs laws?
Creative Tax Evasion – A Government Specialty
To add insult to injury, these geniuses didn’t just stop at illegally dishing out gratuities. They found a way to save themselves a little extra cash by issuing the gratuity on demand drafts instead of cross cheques. Why, you ask? Well, that way, they could conveniently dodge income tax. And if that wasn’t enough, they kept the officers’ income tax slabs artificially low by not including the honorarium in their salaries. After all, who needs tax compliance when the country’s economy is in shambles?
Pakistan Is Going Bankrupt – But Let’s Hand Out Cash Anyway
Pakistan’s economy is teetering on the edge of collapse. With inflation sky-high, foreign reserves dwindling, and the IMF breathing down our necks, the last thing we need is more irresponsible spending. But apparently, someone in the Finance Ministry missed the memo. While citizens are grappling with rising prices and a crashing currency, illegal officers are laughing all the way to the bank, courtesy of our tax rupees.
As the country inches closer to bankruptcy, maybe it’s time to focus on, you know, saving money rather than throwing it away on illegal payouts. But hey, what do we know?