The Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology has endorsed a proposal calling for the introduction of a technical allowance for engineers across Pakistan, moving forward a long-standing demand from the engineering community.
The recommendation came during a committee session where the Registrar of the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Engineer Khadim Hussain Bhatti, briefed lawmakers on the status of the allowance and its implementation in different parts of the country.
He informed the committee that engineers have long been seeking a technical allowance in recognition of their professional duties and responsibilities. He pointed out that similar allowances are already being provided to several other professional groups, including medical officers, judges, civil service cadres, pilots, paramilitary personnel, and management groups.
According to the briefing, the technical allowance has already been approved and implemented in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. However, it has yet to be introduced in Sindh and Balochistan, where the process remains underway.
The committee was also informed that some federal-level institutions, including IRSA and the Pakistan Engineering Council, have already started extending the allowance, though it is not yet applied uniformly across all government departments.
The PEC Registrar stressed the need to eliminate disparities between federal and provincial engineers, arguing that professional benefits should be consistent nationwide.
Committee members acknowledged the role of engineers in national development and supported the demand, stating that the technical allowance should be extended uniformly to all engineers working in federal and provincial institutions.
The committee formally backed the proposal and urged relevant authorities to ensure its implementation across all jurisdictions.
It also directed the Secretary for Science and Technology to take charge of the matter and supervise the initiation process for the rollout of the allowance.
