Polling continues in second phase of AJK elections

  Islamabad:Details of the salaries and benefits of senior officials at Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) were presented before the Senate, revealing that the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer receives a basic monthly salary of more than Rs. 5.56 million. The information was shared with parliament as part of a disclosure concerning the remuneration packages of senior executives at the state-owned exploration and production company. The figures show significant differences in the basic salaries of OGDC’s top management, with the company’s highest-paid official earning several million rupees each month before allowances and other facilities are added. According to the details presented in the Senate, Ahmed Hayat Lak, OGDC’s Managing Director and CEO, receives a basic monthly salary of Rs. 5,564,171. Chief Financial Officer Muhammad Anas Farooq earns Rs. 2,837,940 per month, while Executive Director Petroleum Muhammad Aamir Saleem receives Rs. 2,211,990. Among other executive directors, Shehzad Safdar, Executive Director Human Resources, has a basic monthly salary of Rs. 1,889,298. Zia Salahuddin, Executive Director Services, receives Rs. 1,849,433, while Atif Ghafoor Mirza, Executive Director Joint Ventures and Business Development, earns Rs. 1,893,434. The salaries of general managers are comparatively lower but still substantial. Khurram Shehraz, General Manager Internal Audit, receives Rs. 1,100,929 per month. Dr. Khalid Ameen Khan, General Manager Exploration, earns Rs. 900,881, while General Manager Production Habib Ullah Chohan receives Rs. 700,443. The company secretary, Waseem Ahmad, has a basic monthly salary of Rs. 607,754. In addition to their basic salaries, the ten senior officials are entitled to several allowances and facilities. These include a house-rent allowance equivalent to 45 percent of their basic salary and utilities allowance amounting to 10 percent of the basic pay. They are also provided with car and fuel facilities. After the applicable allowances are included, the monthly remuneration package of the OGDC managing director exceeds Rs. 8.6 million. The CFO’s overall monthly package is reported to be more than Rs. 4.4 million. The information presented to the Senate also showed that all ten officials have more than three decades of professional experience. Most of the executives were recruited through press advertisements and headhunters before being appointed by OGDC’s Board of Directors. Their educational qualifications include professional and advanced degrees in fields such as law, chartered accountancy, business administration, engineering and geophysics. The MD is based in Islamabad, while other senior executives are posted in Islamabad, Karachi, Quetta and Sukkur. OGDC is Pakistan’s largest exploration and production company and is listed on the stock exchange, with the government holding a majority share. The disclosure has drawn attention to the compensation structures followed by state-owned enterprises. During the Senate proceedings, questions were raised regarding whether OGDC’s remuneration packages are comparable with those offered by private-sector exploration and production companies. Senators also discussed the possible impact of high executive compensation on the company’s overall operational expenses. However, no change to the existing salary and benefits structure was announced during the briefing.

GILGIT: The Parks and Wildlife Department of Gilgit-Baltistan is set to auction hunting permits for three Astore markhors, 14 blue sheep and 100 Himalayan ibexes under the region’s Trophy Hunting Programme for the 2026-27 season. The base price for an Astore markhor permit has been fixed at $200,000, making it the most expensive permit on offer. The minimum price for a blue sheep permit has been set at $25,000, while permits for Himalayan ibex will start at $11,000. According to the auction notice, four Astore markhors are included in the exportable quota. However, one permit from the previous hunting season has been carried forward, leaving three fresh permits to be auctioned this year. The open auction will take place on September 10 at the Forest Complex in Jutial, Gilgit. The trophy hunting season will begin on October 15, 2026, and continue until April 10, 2027, in accordance with the GB Trophy Hunting Guidelines 2019. Hunting will be permitted only within officially designated conservation areas. The department said the annual hunting quota has been determined following wildlife population surveys conducted by experts. GB Chief Conservator Parks and Wildlife Zakir Hussain said that the department collected approximately Rs350 million through permit auctions last year against a target of Rs550 million. He said several permits remained unused during the 2025-26 season, including those for two Astore markhors, five blue sheep and 10 exportable Himalayan ibexes. The unused permits resulted in an estimated revenue loss of around Rs200 million. According to officials, the cancellation of hunting plans by American and other international hunters was linked to the law-and-order situation following violent protests in Gilgit and Skardu. Local business owners and tourism operators have expressed concern over repeated increases in trophy hunting permit prices. They argue that higher baseline rates have discouraged foreign hunters and negatively affected businesses connected with hunting tourism. Ikram Beg, a local business owner who sells hunting equipment, said the trophy hunting programme was facing significant challenges. He claimed that the Wildlife Department had increased baseline prices by more than 300 per cent over the past two years without adequately incorporating recommendations from major stakeholders. According to Beg, excessive price increases could make Gilgit-Baltistan less competitive in the international trophy hunting market. He warned that declining international participation could reduce government and community revenues while weakening incentives for local residents to participate in wildlife conservation. Beg stressed that trophy hunting should primarily serve as a conservation mechanism rather than simply becoming a source of increased government revenue. He said the programme’s long-term success depends on reasonable pricing, international participation, transparent administration and meaningful financial benefits for local communities. Local stakeholders have called for a review of the permit rates and greater consultation with communities, conservation specialists and industry representatives. They have also demanded transparency and strict adherence to applicable rules and regulations. Although trophy hunting remains controversial internationally, its supporters argue that regulated hunting can generate funds for conservation, discourage illegal hunting and provide financial benefits to communities living near wildlife habitats. In Gilgit-Baltistan, the programme began with community participation in Bar Valley, Nagar, in 1990. Under the existing revenue-sharing model, approximately 80 per cent of licence revenue goes to local communitiesfor wildlife protection and conservation activities. The region’s challenging terrain and harsh weather also make trophy hunting highly demanding. Hunters must navigate steep and rugged mountain slopes while dealing with extremely cold conditions. Gilgit-Baltistan is home to diverse wildlife because of its varied ecosystems and climate. Species found in the region include Marco Polo sheep, ibex, markhor, urial, blue sheep, lynx, snow leopards, brown and black bears, wolves, foxes and golden eagles. However, wildlife experts and conservationists continue to face concerns over illegal hunting, inadequate wildlife management and the effects of climate change, all of which pose long-term threats to the region’s biodiversity.