By Sajjad Zahoor Bhatti
Islamabad, July 8, 2025: In what is being described as an unprecedented move in the history of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), board members are now set to receive Rs. 40,000 for attending each board meeting—on top of receiving brand-new official vehicles and other state-provided benefits. This decision seemingly undermines the Prime Minister’s repeated claims about controlling government expenses.
According to official documents of the CDA board meetings available with Sub News, the minutes of the meeting held on January 2, 2025, reveal that board members—both executive and non-executive—will now be financially compensated for attending board meetings.
The summary proposing this compensation was presented by Member Administration Talat Mehmood under Agenda Item No. 12181/1441/BM/25. The proposal referenced a prior decision made by the board on March 3, 2021, which had approved meeting compensation for non-executive members. However, the new recommendation extended the same benefit to executive board members as well.
In support of this move, the board cited similar practices in other government institutions including the National Highway Authority (NHA), Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA), Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), and Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA).
Ultimately, the CDA board approved a fixed compensation of Rs. 40,000 per meeting for all board members, including the CDA Board Secretary. Additionally, any officer attending the board meeting will be paid Rs. 8,000.
This is the first time in CDA’s history that such a financial incentive has been granted to executive members who already enjoy full government privileges. The decision raises serious questions about the judicious use of public funds.
Will Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, or senior federal ministers like Hanif Abbasi and Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry take notice of this development? Is this move not in direct contradiction to the government’s austerity drive?
