LESCO approves employee bonus despite federal austerity push

Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has approved a bonus for its officers and employees even as the federal government is urging public institutions to cut spending, ProPakistani reported. The decision was made by the company's Board of Directors, and disbursement of the approved amount has already begun for officers and staff.

The total amount of the bonus has not been disclosed. ProPakistani did not say how many officers and employees would receive the payment, which grades or categories would be covered, or whether the bonus is a regular annual payment or a one-time disbursement. The report also did not identify the beneficiaries by office or region.

The move comes as the federal government has issued directives asking public departments and institutions to reduce expenditure and control spending under ongoing austerity measures. ProPakistani did not report whether LESCO had sought or obtained any exemption from these directives before the board approved the bonus. No official justification for the bonus was given.

LESCO supplies electricity to Lahore and the surrounding districts of Punjab. It is among the state-owned power distribution companies that have faced financial pressure, and the federal government has repeatedly called for better financial discipline in these entities. LESCO serves one of the largest customer bases among Pakistan's power distribution companies.

The report did not provide details about the source of funds for the bonus, whether it had been budgeted in the current fiscal year, or when all payments would be completed. It also did not say whether the LESCO board discussed the federal austerity instructions when it took the decision. No statement from LESCO or the federal government was included in the report. It is not clear whether the federal government will respond to the bonus decision.