ISLAMABAD: A total of 3,225 employees of the defunct Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak PWD), from various departments, are currently under review with regard to salary payments and transfer status. This was revealed in a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works, chaired by Senator Nasir Mehmood. The meeting reviewed compliance with directives issued in the previous meeting regarding the transfer and payment of salaries to the defunct Pak PWD employees. The committee took up the compliance report from several ministries to accept the transfer of the remaining Pak PWD maintenance staff and ensure payment of salaries, along with arrears for the last seven months. The directive was issued in pursuance of the Federal Cabinet decision notified by the Ministry of Housing and Works through a notification dated September 6, 2024. Departments under review included the Ministry of Interior (Civil Defence), Ministry of Planning, Auditor-General of Pakistan, Intelligence Bureau, Federal Investigation Agency, Federal Board of Revenue, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi, Border Health Services Pakistan Karachi, and the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. During the meeting, the chairman called representatives from each concerned department to present updates on compliance with the directives of the Prime Minister regarding the release of salaries for employees absorbed into various departments following the restructuring of Pak PWD. Chairman of the Committee Senator Nasir Mehmood said the sole purpose of the committee’s intervention was to ensure that salaries of the affected workers were released without further delay. He stated that the committee wanted to see the issue resolved before the upcoming Eid so that employees who did not fault the administrative transition were not made to suffer financially. The committee was informed that salaries are currently being paid to 2,940 employees, representing 91.1 percent of the total staff. These employees have already been absorbed across several federal departments and organisations. The largest number, 1,493 employees, has been accommodated in the Capital Development Authority, followed by 970 employees in the Estate Office. Other departments paying salaries include the Ministry of Defence with 95 employees, the Federal Shariat Court with one employee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with 60 employees, the Federal Board of Revenue with 116 employees, the National Accountability Bureau with 35 employees, the Controller General of Accounts with 90 employees, and the Intelligence Bureau with 80 employees. The committee was further informed that in cases where the takeover process has been completed but salary arrangements are still being processed, 185 employees, representing 5.8 percent of the total, fall under this category. These include 40 employees in the Federal Board of Revenue, 49 employees in the Ministry of Defence (Pakistan Meteorological Department), 30 employees in the Cabinet Division, and 66 employees under Border Health Services, including Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and the National Institute of Child Health in Karachi. These departments have approached the Finance Division for the allocation of funds during the current financial year. Another category includes 30 employees, representing 0.9 percent, where the takeover process is in the final stages. These include 20 employees under the Auditor General of Pakistan and 10 employees under the Intelligence Bureau. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026